Chivalry
by Wibble Scribbles
Summary: "I've seen men look at you like they've seen a ghost!" The woman frowned at the knight only to be pushed down in her saddle with a gasp, a low lying branch brushing over her head "Watch where you're riding," The Knight then rode on. Behmen/OC
1. Whispers

**Hellooooooooo... so first story! I've just seen the film and i quite liked it.**

**then this idea came to me... and it wouldn't leave my mind to i had to write it out**

**sooo here is the first part... it is only like a little starter to the story, so you get a small hint about what it is about, and whats happening and blah!**

**The next one will be more exciting**

**well it looks exciting in my head any hoo :D**

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><p><strong><em>Chivalry<em>**

**_1: Whispers_**

Whispers, gossip and hushed voices all murmured together in the forming crowd, all squandering villagers, pausing their daily routine to gather at the small spectacle making a show if it's self in the tiny centre of the small village, the open square nothing more than a pit of sloshing mud under the recent days of rain, the over cast skies of grey keeping the damp world forever moist.

The main attraction to hit the close knit little village was a strange man, plump and broad in frame but lacking in height, he wore the colours most wore, earthly browns. Thick trousers wedged into the tops of his tightly laced boots and a heavy wool tunic covered with a leather a fur pelt while a warm cloak draped around his shoulders.

His head was bald but face held a remarkable about of hair, forming a long wiry beard and moustache and the man carried him self with the air of a noble man, though it was as plain as the clouds in the sky to see, he was not, despite the small entourage that followed him along with the many horses and large wagon.

The man and his group was still a sight and the people of the small village could only crowd around in curiosity and hang on every word the stranger spoke, it was the few times anything would be seen as exciting within the village.

"Why are they all gathering?" A young woman asked, her face fresh and pale, light freckles dashed across her cheeks and over her nose as she tucked away some light mousy brown hair behind her ear as she watched the small number of villagers gather.

The questioned was given to a slightly older woman, still prime in her youth but the few years older than the first, the elder cast a slow glance over her shoulder, rich dark hair swaying with the light motion.

"I don't know," She answered truthfully.

"People around here tend to be like sheep, they just follow the flock, it's best not to get caught up and follow along," She cast the gathering people a disinterested look before turning her head back to the products in front of her.

"It's probably nothing anyway," The younger huffed, turning her back on the people of the village.

"What are you looking for?" The younger turned to the elder with raised brows, only to receive a shake of the head.

"Nothing from here, I was just wondering if some of the vegetables form the patch are ready, if not then we'll have to buy some," The dark haired elder sighed lifting a hand to her more coloured cheek, her skin still rather pale but not a much as the younger's.

"I don't know what's wrong," The lighter haired youth huffed.

"Perhaps it's a curse," She added flippantly but luckily hushed.

"Don't utter that too loud," The elder's voice lightened with amusement.

"They aren't that superstitious are they?" The younger raised a brow towards her light brown hair line.

"Of course!" The elder scoffed before leaning closer to the other, lowering her tone.

"They'll burn you at the stake and cast you into the fiery pits of hell!" she spoke with a dramatic edge and smile on her lips.

"Hafwen!" The younger frowned casting a quick look around as she batted the elder away from her.

"It happens little sis!" She smiled with a shake of her head while the light haired sibling gave a shake of her head.

"Hafwen! Rhoslyn!," A voice called, catching the sister's attention as they both turned, looking around in search of the person that had called them.

A woman pranced towards them with quickened steps, her hair was as black as night and fell down her back like a wavy cloak.

"Auntie!" Both the young women chirped in a pleasant surprise.

"How are you girls? Sorry to keep you both but your Uncle is running around after the sheep!" The more mature woman rolled her eyes, but the smile on her lips showed the fondness she held for her husband.

"He still hasn't got round to fixing the fence?" Hafwen questioned with a smile, it wasn't the first time the flock had gotten out.

"It's uncle Brac," Rhoslyn shook her head at her elder sister as if her words answered the question.

"Unfortunately not, so I have come in his place," the woman smiled.

"You'll probably be more help any way Enid," Hafwen smiled.

"Well I am far better at organising!" The dark haired auntie gave a light laugh.

"Come on we'll get a few things for the farm then get your fathers medicine," Enid nodded, heading off, the two sisters following.

**_000_**

"I'm sorry ladies, I haven't been able to get into the town to pick up any medicines," a stoutly man shook his head as he walked around the table in the small, dark room, heading to the window and opening the hatch, letting some light into the room and allowing a view of the small village's square.

"It's to do with them witch hunters!" the elderly man grumbled, looking out the window at the commotion in the little village.

The three women shared looks among themselves before following after the old medicine man of the village as he opened the door and stepped out under the roofing shielding the front of his workshop.

"What do you mean?" Hafwen was the first to question, eyeing the odd men with their large wagon, drawing the attention of the small minded population of the village.

"Well, there has been talk, since the rebirth of the plague that a dangerous witch roams these parts," The grey, withering man started, his wise eyes watching the new comers.

"It is said she wakes the dead from their graves," he turned his old eyes to the three women as if he was telling a ghost story, expecting the ladies to be quivering with fear.

"But why are these men here, how are they the reason you couldn't make your usual journey to town?" Rhoslyn questioned lightly.

"Girls! You shouldn't pry in these matters!" Enid scolded both girls, giving a quick cast around to make sure no one had heard their talk over such a delicate matter concerning witches.

"These men are witch hunters, they are one of many groups scouring the plagued area in search of the fearful witch, they take any they suspect to be the witch and deliver them to the town's holy men," The short greying man answered.

"Why?" Hafwen shook her head with a light frown.

"For payment my dear, the price to clear this plague and the threat of the walking dead is high," he licked at his dry lips before rubbing at his short wiry beard.

"But they are probably only rounding up innocent women!" The elder sister's frowned deepened.

"They only get paid for finding witches, the holy men in town trial the women to separate the witches, from there the witches are sent into the city to seal their fate," with that the old man gave a nod.

"The men have stopped anyone from leaving the village, so I can't do my rounds," he grumbled as he headed back inside and closed the door behind himself once again leaving the women to exchange glances.

"Well that would be why there is so much interest in these men!" Rhoslyn huffed turning to eye the gathered villagers and odd men.

"Hmm, they are still like sheep and follow the crowd," Hafwen shook her head.

"You girls should say no more on the matter now," Enid gave a light frown.

"Hafwen your right when you say they follow the crowd, if one person accuses another of witch craft others would soon join in, now I don't want you two gossipers getting caught up in anything or accused of anything, because the good lord help us these people will pick on the smallest of matters to make evidence against you!" The elder woman looked between her two nieces, both old enough to think and act responsibly but being a parent and the two young women being family and with out their own mother she couldn't help but mother them.

"You don't have to worry, we're going to keep out of this nonsense," Hafwen shook her head as she gave one last look at the crowd.


	2. Unwelcome

**sooo here is the second part**

**much longer than the first... i was planning on having our lovely knights turn up in this one**

**... the chapter kept growing sooo they are defo in the next one... i know this coz i've already written it he he**

**:D**

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><p><strong>2: Unwelcome<strong>

A fire burnt eagerly in the stone fire place of the homely farm house, the empty living space bathed in the amber light from the dancing flames until the wooden door creaked open, bathing the warm room with the fresh, white morning light from the bright outside world, the shaded figure of a woman stepping in, a basket balanced on one hip.

The woman shuffled in threw the small door way before closing the door behind herself, closing off the assaulting mass of brightness from the outside. She stepped over to the short rectangle table in the centre of the room with three easy paces, setting the basket on top of it's solid wood surface and plucking the fabrics nested inside, beginning on folding them.

"Ah! My favourite niece!" A loud deep voice boomed after the rattle of the door as the man made his way in, startling the young woman some with the volume but she half turned in her spot, looking over her shoulder with an amused smile.

"Don't let Rhoslyn hear you say that," The dark haired youth laughed lightly.

"So what do I owe this pleasure uncle Brac!" she turned back to the washing the smile still on her face.

"Just checking in, how's my dear brother?" The man looked around, his dark hair now greying with his age.

"He's resting still," The young woman's smile faded to a slightly saddened one.

"Do not fret Hafwen! He'll pull threw, your father is a strong man!" Brac shared that same saddened smile but tried brightening his more.

"He is my brother after all!" He then added to help lift the mood, earning a small laugh from the woman.

"Are the witch hunters still in the village?" Hafwen questioned, like most trying to stay out of the commotion, wondering whether the strangers had gone or not.

"Afraid not, the men have started searching homes, they believe a witch actually resides in this village," He shook his head.

"That is ridiculous! Surely they can't be allowed to do this!" the woman shook her head as she placed a folded tunic on top of her pile.

"When it comes to witch craft I'm afraid so," The elder man shook his head.

"Well I hope they move on quickly," The dark haired Hafwen nodded with a slight huff.

"We all do, but until then, I need help bringing in the flock," The man gave a coy grin.

"I have washing to do, lunch to prepare and dinner to cook!" She smiled simply, turning to pass that smile to her uncle.

"It's Rhoslyn's turn to bring the sheep in," She stated simply.

"Yes but Rhoslyn is running errands in the village and I have no one else to help me!" Brac, despite being a mature adult whined like a sulking child.

"You have three sons!" Hafwen scoffed out a short laugh.

"You know what the boys are like!" He tried to defend and with a roll of her eyes Hafwen caved.

"Alright fine, but only once I have finished the washing, got the stew on the fire, made sure dad is settled and told Rhoslyn after I've taken her lunch, so she isn't greeted with a near empty house!" She held up a finger as she marked her stakes.

"Alright! That's fine! I'll have a brew while I wait!" He nodded before heading out and with a huff and a smile the young woman continued with her chores.

_**000**_

Hafwen wasn't disturbed since earlier that morning when her uncle had flounced into the small farm house and in her time she had managed to clear the clutter that was left behind from breakfast and the lunch Rhoslyn had darted back for before heading back out, and now she was preparing for dinner than evening, prepping the stew the sisters and their ill father would eat.

With a struggled groan Hafwen lifted the weighty pot of stew onto the fire so it could begin to heat up and cook while she was out helping her uncle with the sheep.

Rhoslyn knew the house might be empty when she got back, Hafwen having told her when the younger popped back for lunch, saving the elder the trip of having to go find her and then return.

With a huff Hafwen threw down the rag she was using to carry the pot and place it over the fire, her hands slightly clammy from the heat of the flames when she put the stew on. She then ran a hand threw her dark hair, the amber flames causing her hair to give a mahogany glow and pale skin more of a warm colour.

A loud banging the rapped at the small wooden door, causing her heart to leap to her throat at the level of noise and power that came from the banging, her jolt of fright turning her to the door with wide golden eyes before she managed to calm herself from the shock and quickly open the door.

"Hello? Can I help you?" A brow quirked at the group of strangers at the door but no answer was given, the moment the door was opened it was like an invitation and the men barged in, knocking Hafwen back into the room.

"What in gods name do you think you are doing!" She yelped in a defensive shock, looking around at the few burly men rummaging and rooting around the home.

"Is that blasphemy?" a deep growling voice questioned and with another frightened jolt the dark haired woman swivelled back to the door where the short, burly Witch hunter stood, blocking the light in the small door frame.

"I was startled, I shall _repent_ later!" She clipped back with an icy tone laced in with her sarcasm.

"We are looking for a dangerous Witch," The hunter started as he slowly prowled in to the room.

"I know no Witch and there is no Witch here," The youthful woman straitened out, crossing her arms loosely under her bust, her eyes moving away from the Witch hunter's leader and too the other men still sprotting around the room.

"And there is no Witch folded up amongst my clean washing" she unfolded her arms to motion to the man lifting each folded item on the counter to peek under, his attention brought as his actions were noticed and he quickly stopped.

"What is in the basket?" The leader continued his prowling, arms behind his as he moved around the woman to get a better look of the basket sat on the floor.

"Washing I haven't finished," Hafwen stated with a frown, her eyes glaring at the intruding man, watching with distaste as he strolled towards the fireplace, looking down his nose at the pot just starting to bubble over the flames before he leaned forwards to take a suspicious sniff.

"It's stew," The elder sister spoke before the question was asked, growing annoyed with the men cluttering her house and moving things with dirty, grubby fingers.

"Lovely and what is threw here?" He pointed mildly to the closed door at the other side of the room.

"Nothing," Hafwen shook her head with a frown, but the moment the Witch hunter's dark eyes met hers he went for the door, the agile and protective young woman quickly slipping in front of him.

"Do you mind! I think you have disturbed enough of this house," She frowned, blocking the door way.

"Hiding something?" the stocky man raised a bushy brow.

Before she could answer a bump from up stairs alerted Hafwen to the men moving more freely around the house and she peered up at the beamed ceiling with an appalled frown but in this moment of distraction the Witch hunter pulled her away from the door and invited himself in.

With a gasp, she rushed after him, nearly bumping into him as he stopped short upon seeing the ill, plagued man laying in the bed.

The bed ridden man stirred slowly from all the commotion, bringing up a wheezy cough and instantly Hafwen darted around the Witch hunter and to her father's side, pouring some water from the jug at the side table by his bed into a small wooden cup.

"Here you go dad, you ok?" She questioned with her brow creased with worry, holding the cup to his lips, allowing the ill man to drink before relaxing back against his pillows for more rest.

She watched until she was satisfied he was comfortable and settled back for rest before turning her furious gaze to the damned Witch hunter.

"I think you should leave now," She warned quietly, setting the cup back and walking back to the unknown man, herding him back out of the room and closing the door behind herself.

"Do you know anyone that practices witchcraft?" The man didn't seem to give up his quest.

"No," Was all Hafwen spat.

"Do you suspect anyone?" a brow rose on his face.

"No!" She spat once again, growing irritated with the man's presence.

"You have a sister, younger? Am I right?" He effortlessly changed the questions causing Hafwen's expression to change just as effortlessly with confusion.

"It's a small village, everyone seems to know everyone," The witch hunter cleared as if the look on her face held her question of how he knew about her younger sister.

"At least they think they do," The burly man added a little more darkly, causing the elder sister to lean away from him with a wary frown.

"Your younger sister, she has a cat, does she not?" His brows arched on his forehead as he asked the simple question.

"Yes," Hafwen shook her head, totally bemused.

"A black cat I understand?" the hunter's face remained the same, with his brows raised in a patronising look.

"No! Now leave and take your brutes with you!" She instantly scowled, defences raising at the unspoken accusation.

_**000**_

"But Cai isn't all black…"Brac frowned, leaning on the large stick he was using as aid for walking and herding the flock of sheep.

"She has a little white patch under her chin," The uncle rubbed under his own chin in show of the area they were talking about on the cat.

"I know, but someone in the village has given that as some fake suspicion against Rhoslyn!" Hafwen frowned with worry, her hands gripping the skirts of her dress as she trod next to her uncle, both pushing the herd of sheep forwards.

"You worry too much, owning a mostly black cat will not see Rhoslyn branded as a Witch!" Brac gave a comforting smile to his niece.

"I mean look! You own a mostly black dog and your not branded a Witch!" He pointed to the sheep dog herding the flock, the animal a cross breed, with black and tan fur.

"I guess your right, I should really worry less," She nodded, watching the dog zip around the flock, raining in any straying sheep.

"Well done for standing up and being the man of the house too!" The uncle stopped his walk and turned to grin at the youthful woman who in turn gave a nervous chuckle.

"Thank you, I think, but it was awfully terrifying, I thought my heart was going to come flying out of my chest it was beating so rapid!" She lay a hand on her chest to match her words. Hafwen had told her uncle every thing that had happened and he praised her for showing the courage and back bone her farther would have shown if he was well enough and seeing too the intruding men, but also for having the protective manners and sharp whit her late mother would had probably added to the defence against the hunters.

"Hey fear is where courage comes from! You can't have it with out!" Brac smiled while the working dog barked, his deep, growling yaps startling the sheep and sending them scattering.

"Gaius!" Hafwen yelled with a frown, looking over to her dog as he faced towards the rising hill, barking consistently and turning every few yaps to look back at the two herders before facing the hill again

"Gaius!" She called again, confused at the dogs behaviour before lifting her eyes further to what the dog was barking and seeming to motion at every time he turned to glance at them.

"Is that smoke?" Hafwen the frowned.

"That's the farm!" Brac choked with shock and instantly they both ran.

Hafwen and Rhoslyn's father and Brac where bothers and they both owned the farm just outside the village and lived in two separate farm houses on the farm, but from the distance neither was sure which farm house was on fire.

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><p><strong>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ i shall fill this space with wiggly lines ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<strong>

**yer... sooooo! Dashing knights in the next chapter... mabe XD**


	3. Rain

**Weeeeeeeeeell... they just keep getting longer**

**well i say that but i just squeesed what i could in...**

**...and there is an actuall plot to this story... i made one up randomly while on my way to work on the bus**

**it was quite the stroke of genious on my part! :D**

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><p><strong>3: Rain<strong>

When they raced up the hill the burning embers reached high in the sky as the farm house Hafwen had been in only hours ago was being eaten by the flames.

"Father!" She screeched highly as she darted for the burning estate only to be grabbed by her uncle, the man having to fight to restrain the young woman till her energy started to drop.

"It's too late!" He murmured weakly, glancing to the side as his three sons and wife rushed over.

"We couldn't get to it in time, we were held in the village square, all we could save was the horses," Enid explained quietly.

"What happened! Where is Rhoslyn!" Hafwen turned to her remaining family with wide eyes, desperation straining her voice.

Enid pursed her lips tightly together before turning away with a sob, quickly covering her mouth.

Brac frowned in confusion, just as lost as the elder sister was.

"What happened!" This time she shrieked, looking between her three cousins for an answer if her aunt wasn't going to give one.

"She…she's been accused of witch craft," Howell spoke up gravely, instantly shattering what was left of Hafwen's world.

"They took her and burnt the house, we couldn't get your father out," He then finished bowing his head.

Brac tried to swallow down the dry lump in his throat as the words rushed to him but all Hafwen could do was watch, glossy eyed as her home and ill father burnt down before her eyes, tears streaking down her pale face. Her breathing was shaky as she controlled herself from sobbing, her eyes roaming the burning mass. She gave a small jolt as Gaius' barking tugged her from her daze and with a few fluttered blinks her water logged eyes turned to take in her dog, he was barking determinedly at the fencing that had penned in a few of the horses, but he could go no further because of the heat from the blaze.

Hafwen had to squint to see what had possibly caught the dogs attention and then made the distorted figure out.

It was Cai, Rhoslyn's little black cat with a white chin, bathed in it's own blood and hanging from the fencing by it's pinned tail.

"Gaius! Come on boy!" Hafwen instantly called loudly, her voice strained as she clapped her hands and turned away from the blaze.

"Where are you going?" Howell lifted his head with a worried frown.

"Which why did they go!" The young woman instantly barked.

"Which way!" She repeated when she wasn't answered quick enough.

"East road that heads to wards the fork!" The young man answered quickly and with a nod she ran, the dog at her heels and family calling after her.

_**000**_

The East road from the village was long and windy and eventually lead towards a split road the villagers called the fork, one road she knew would lead to the larger town, which from there would then lead to the city and the other road she had no clue, she never needed to know, but luckily she knew the witch hunters were heading to the town for their payments.

Instead of following after the long winding road, when on foot it was easier to cut threw the fields and forests, the path was direct and far, far quicker but the rout was never used by anyone not on foot because carriages, wagons and trailers needed the road and horses stumbled on the trickier parts of the woods.

Hafwen ran as fast as she could and as well as she could in her clothing, twigs and branches reaching out for her, snagging at her hair and dress. The light was fading slowly from the sky but she used her dog as a guide seeing what he was dodging and where he was jumping only tripping or stumbling the odd few times, having to correct the hold on her dress to lift the skirts up higher once or twice and before long she had stumbled down a steep embankment with a yelp and fell into the side of a horse and the mounted rider's leg, causing her to go ricocheting back and fall while the horse reared up with a loud whine, throwing it's rider.

The small commotion of horse and rider drew attention of the travelling companions, the rest of the mounted men pulling the reins, stopping the easy pace each horse was plodding at, even the two larger horses lugging the large wagon were pulled to a stop.

A few shouts were raised as the men communicated to each other, working like the pack animals they were and with in no time Hafwen was retrieved from the ground a little stunned by the first collision and shook into silence by the gruff man yanking her to her feet by one arm. A short gasp passed her lips as a blunt throb pulsed in her upper arm from where the tips of the man's large fingers were digging into the soft flesh of her arm threw the sleeve of her dress.

Once her bearings where found and the elder sister focused on what she was after once again, a frown instantly formed on her brows as she pulled out of the man's grasp sharply, stumbling a step back before giving a wild look around.

"Hafwen!" A small voice called from a short distance, the pale faced youth pressing herself against the caged wagon, one arm reaching threw the bars. The younger sister had grown with curiosity and instantly started to look around once everyone had stopped, wondering what on earth was going on, she wasn't the only one, the small group of women also blamed as witches and thrown into the caged wagon looked around in hope and wonder, but once the brunette spotted a familiar dog slink towards the wagon for cover did she then recognise the woman being dragged up.

"Rhoslyn!" The elder sister called back, eyes wide and alert as she looked around desperately in the directing of the voice and there she saw the arm reaching out threw the wagon but the moment she took a step towards her sister she was restrained once again.

"Well, I must say I thought you were in the house also," A gruff man stated quite simply as he rode a bay mare forwards and looked down at the restrained woman.

"You're the devil!" She hissed out, teeth clenched in an attempted to control her voice, the fear in her chest so big it was starting to swell in her throat and strain her voice and if she let that show then she would seem nothing more than a weak girl about to cry.

Her words came out strong, despite the fear rushing threw her and the mounted Witch hunter raised his brows at the words aimed at him.

"I'm quite the opposite my dear, I'm ridding this world of evil, you should see me as a savour," He pursed his lips and raised both brows in a patronising look down at her, his face showing he saw nothing more than a naïve and stupid little girl.

"Some have even classed me an angel because what I have done for them," he lifted his bald head, his long beard shifting up his chest slightly with the movement.

"You are no angel and my sister is no witch!" Hafwen spat out once again in her well forced strong voice, meeting the hunter's gaze with a sharp glare, her eye's almost seeming as predatory as a wolf's.

"I beg to differ, you're sister has been found guilty," The man leaned forwards in his saddle, leering towards the elder sister.

"What evidence did you find!" Hafwen challenged.

"Enough to see her sentenced," The hunter easily dodged the question.

"Perhaps owning a cat is her sin!" The elder sister offered, her brows raising as she shot the man a patronising look of her own.

"Witches are said to have black animal companions, but hers was black and white, perhaps she is a half witch?" Her shoulders lifted in a tiny shrug, the mocking look still on her face.

"But then, I have a dog who is mostly black, perhaps I am half witch two? Will I be thrown into the back of your collection wagon?" Her words where sharp and fast, much like a whip being cracked and everything she said left the man unable to answer fast enough.

"Now I know my sister is no witch as do you, now let her go!" The elder sister demanded, she had never spoken out of line before, she's never truly had too, she's had the rare moments where she had, had to stand up to people or for people but she was the defensive sort of person who would always fight to protect, she was never confrontational, she didn't look for arguments, she never looked for fights.

But in this moment she had nothing, yet everything to lose. The men could take no more from her, everything that was very and truly dear to her heart was gone, yet her sister was still there, still able to live.

The heavens above crackled with thunder before the darkening grey skies released heavy rain like the thousands of tears that had been shed because of these destructive men.

"Move on men!" The Witch hunter straitened his back and called, squinting threw the rain.

With a crack of the whip the two large working horses danced into movement, lurching the wagon forwards, sending the standing sister stumbling to the side.

She looked around panicked as the group started to move and she was drifting further away from being freed and let back to her sister.

Her dark brown eyes flashed back to her elder sister while a pale hand swept her messy light brown tendrils of hair from her face.

"Hafwen!" She called out desperately, fear buried so deep inside of herself she felt sick.

"Rhoslyn!" Her elder sister called back in a panicked desperation, her voice breaking and arms fighting violently against the man that had restrained her.

Her aggressive struggling finally granted her freedom and she burst for the slowly rolling wagon that was turning left at the forked road, her feet slouching the in the mud the rain had soaked.

The last thing Hafwen saw of her sister was her terrified face and pale hand reaching out for her, the last thing she heard was the murmur of voices and a dog's bark and the last thing she felt was the sharp restraints of someone grabbing her and a blunt pain to her head.

_**000**_

"You're a priest," An elder man with grey white hair and a short beard of stubble started up, casually stating what was obvious to the small group.

"Thank you for noticing," A dark haired man nodded, giving a quick glance to the rider at his side before returning his eyes forwards to the road, quite the unimpressed look on his face.

"Would you say we were…unholy?" The first man questioned, a small smirk quirking up on his lips.

"Hoods gentlemen, it's about to rain," A third man spoke up after hearing the thunder, but not to involve himself in the current conversation, simply to warn and as he pulled his hood up over his messy length of hair the others soon following as the rain poured down, hoping to keep as dry as possible as the rain started.

"I don't know what to call this," The priest shook his head from under his hood, motioning to their small group with a wave of his arm, what was being said understood by all men.

"Well it's not normal," The eldest of the men rolled his eyes.

"We'll find out once we reach Marburg," The priest gave a huff.

"I hope we get some better horses by then," The first man grumbled gravely, looking down at the grey speckled animal carrying him, it's steps slow and clumsy.

"Stop," The third rider uttered lowly, pulling back on his horses reins, the animal slowing it's plod, the other riders and slow horses soon following.

"What? What is it?" The brown haired Priest looked around the area, all he could see is wood land.

The elder man frowned at his companion he'd known for years before turning to face the road ahead, squinting to see threw the harsh amount of rain.

A figure lay across the muddy road and all men frowned, before the mounted rider that had first spotted the body moved his horse forwards again.

"Behmen!" The first man called, waiting as the man turned in his saddle to look back at the elder man.

"The dog," He nodded forwards again, motioning towards the animal that seemed to accompany the feminine looking body, kicking his horse to move up next to his friends.

Both men inspected the animal from their distance, it was pacing around the body and once again the man, Behmen, kicked his horse forwards causing it to snort and instantly the dogs head picked up with perked ears and started to bark at the group before pausing to look at the woman laying in the mud, then once again barking at the men before turning to the body and dipping it's nose to the head, ruffling the dark hair.

"It could be dangerous!" The greying man spoke up, unimpressed with his friend heroic antics, the person laying in the road was probably dead and the dog was more than likely savage and killed them.

"It's a pet Felson!" Behmen looked over his shoulder with raised brow, out to prove him wrong.

"It could have killed her," Felson spoke from where he sat on the grey horse, resting his hands on the front of the saddle.

The man had seen the dog pacing around the body, ears perked and nose dipped towards the face, most would see this as the animal simply feasting on it's find but it was how Behmen first noticed the dog that made him think other wise, the animal was sat by the woman's head, ears perked and looking down at her, watching over her and that gave him thought that the loyal pet was waiting and trying to get it's owner to wake up.

Once closer Behmen dismounted and he could now hear the dogs pitiful whines and with one step forwards the dog started to bark again and the one sign the dog gave to show it wasn't aggressive was the madly wagging tail, it was obviously glad for the help. The dog was quick to turn and check back on it's owner, snuffling it's nose into the mass of hair before turning to the slowly approaching man expectantly.

Although the dog didn't seem aggressive you could never be too careful with a protective pet so he held a hand out slowly as if to show no harm as he knelt next to the woman. The dog gave a slight huff and edged towards the man's hand for a stroke, which he was rewarded.

"Good dog," Behmen mumbled to the animal petting it's soaking fur as his other hand reached for the woman, brushing the wet hair from her face and tiling his head as he looked for signs of life but the moment part of the woman's face was visible the dog jumped forwards with a flurry of desperate licks till the woman stirred with a frown and a groan.

"Gaius!" She mumbled weakly, trying to scold the dog for slobbering her.

"Is she ok?" The priest questioned, both him and Felson having moved their horses closer with curiosity the moment the dog sat at Behmen's side.

"Well she's alive," Felson nodded, the woman's conscious self being a good sign.

Behmen unintentionally ignored his fellow riders as he pushed the dog gently from the woman and carefully lay a hand around her arm as she started to push herself up.

"Easy!" He commented with a frown, settling his other hand to the side of her ribs, despite the mud that coated his hand from where the poor woman had been laying in the soaking mud, guiding her up into a bit of a side saddle sit.

Her eyes where hazy but flashed around in a frantic alarm, too many thought rushing threw her head as her breathing picked up into panicked gasps, her body shaking from the cold, the only thing protecting her was her soaking, mud soiled dress that was proving to be less help.

"The poor girl's terrified!" The Priest frowned, worried and concerned for the woman.

"Makes you wonder what happened," Felson straitened with distaste, the thought of someone bringing such a fate on a defenceless woman and leaving her like this turned him.

Behmen worked at the buckles keeping his long cloak around his shoulders with one hand, the other hand remaining at the woman's rips to keep her upright.

"What's your name?" The man questioned as he swung the cloak from his shoulders and around her's.

"…Ha-Hafwen," She shuddered out, the cold sending a fierce shiver threw her as she sat in the mud, one hand still pressed to the floor amongst the slushy ground in aid to keeping herself up right in her side sit.

Like water putting out fire, the rain had stamped out the fighting fire with in the elder sister and leaving her now quivering unable to fight and peering at the men unsure, her eyes flicking between the two men on the horses behind the one helping her, she was not at ease around these men, not in the slightest, especially giving her circumstances.

"Hafwen?" Behmen tried the name on his tongue trying to catch the woman's attention but he could see she was scared and confused, looking around at the group but he needed her attention so he lifted a hand to her cheek and directed her gently to face him

"Hafwen, I'm going to get you home, but I need you to show us the way," He nodded, hoping to encourage an answer from her, and with a shaky breath she gave a tiny nod, her cheek wet and icy against his hand.

* * *

><p><strong>Yaaaaaay for the guys! No one in perticular *cough*Behmen*coughcough*<strong>

**Sooooo yer... not really an attractive first meeting, laying face down in sloshy mud, soaking wet with a dog licking your face to wake you up**

**...hmmmm sexy!**

**But we can't all have our first meeting to be walking threw a sun lit feild, picking flowers with the light in your face and wind blowing your hair back ****all beautiful like falalalalaa**

**he he**


	4. Tears

_**yeeeeeeeeeer... chapter 4... it was gunnu be longer... but then i thought... noooo**_

_**i'll stop here**_

* * *

><p><strong>4: Tears<strong>

Loud rapping sounded at the short wooden door to a farmhouse, the family inside jumping at the strong sound before the man of the house strode to the door and opened it sharply due to the rather urgent pace of the knocking. He squinted suspiciously threw the downpour of rain at the group of figures and if it hadn't been for the man's wife lurking behind him curiously then he wouldn't have noticed the smaller framed person at the fount of the group as someone he knew.

"Hafwen!" The woman gasped, ducking under her husband's arm that was blocking the slightly open door way and opening her arms to the barely recognisable woman, shivering under the protective arm around her shoulders, her dark hair was soaked and clinging to her scalp, half soiled with mud on one side of her head, the straggled ends sticking to her paled face while her blue tinted lips quivered with her short raspy breathing.

The man supporting her guided her towards the other woman's waiting arms with out a word, trying to get the poor woman out of the rain as soon as possible and in doing so saving the older woman from stepping out into the torrential rain fall.

Brac pulled the door open wide as he stepped to the side letting the two women he knew in before flicking his head back to face the small group of men, three all together, two of the men stood further behind the one that had been holding his nice, both keeping a hold on the horses.

"Please come in!" He urged waving them in.

"Boys!" Brac instantly barked flashing his eye's to his three sons that were all been stood around the table from where they had previously jumped up from their seats in alert.

"Howell, Dewey tend to the horses! Evan, finding something dry for these men!" He ordered his son's, the two elders bowing their head and ducking out into the rain, while the youngest darted upstairs to root around in the linen closet.

Brac held a welcoming arm out as if reaching for the men as he waited for them to pass threw the door frame, the first man having stepped in with a gracious bow of his head while the other two men soon followed after allowing the two boys to take control of their horses and pull the animals off in a hasty trot toward the barn.

None of the strange men felt now was a time to say anything, they all could see the family was clearly shocked but they knew questions would be asked in time, when the air had calmed.

"My goodness girl!" Enid grasped as she pulled the unfamiliar cloak from around the younger woman's shoulders, leaving her shivering niece back in her soaked dress as she set the item over the back of the chair, not wanting to be disrespectful to the item's owner even in such a situation.

Hafwen clutched herself in an attempted to hug the little warmth she had, stopping it from leaving, but he rain drenched mud heavy dress did less than help, even stood in front of the fire place as she was.

Enid soon darted back to her niece and turned the woman sharply to face the flames as she started to un tie the back of her dress, blatantly ignoring the fact that three strange men now stood within their home.

"Enid!" Brac called with a frown before his poor niece was stripped in front of the men, but the men where gracious and all bowed their heads, turning their eyes else where in the room.

"She has to get out of these soaking clothes!" The elder woman snapped, peeling the frozen woman from the dark green dress, leaving her in the white under dress that turned slightly transparent as the wet fabric clung to her skin, showing patches of peachy skin when where it suck to her body.

"It's a good thing you were too worried to take the bath today!" The dark haired woman then huffed steering her still shivering niece off into the back room where the unwanted bath lay, already filled with water ready for Brac after his usual hard time of work, but tonight he was far to restless after Hafwen had darted off.

Once the door closed the white under dress was yanked up over her head and Hafwen was shoved into the bath, her Aunt determined to scrub her clean and wash the head back into her skin.

_**000**_

The three men stood in their places, not awkward just simply not knowing where to place them selves, that was until a panicked young boy came pounding down the wooden stairs, his small arms piled with various things for the men to dry them selves and keep warm, the odd few items having dropped from his hold and left a trail down the stairs. This gave the men something to do, each slowly moving forwards to help the young boy.

"Please, make yourselves comfortable, I will find you all something dry to change into," Brac nodded and made a move towards the stairs.

"Thank you," The seeming leader of the group that had guided Hafwen to them spoke, the other men soon giving there thanks whole heartily, after all the men had nothing but the clothes on their backs and the weapons that had been laid by their sides, the horses they had managed to pick off from a conman that had been rousing trouble in the first village they had come across. They hadn't a need to pick up anything materialistic on their travels, they just needed to reach Marburg.

The three men bustled quietly as they shred layers of their wet clothing, folding and piling each item to save from making a mess, before wrapping the dry, warm linen around them as the fresh, dry clothing was then handed to them allowing them to change quickly.

The door to the back room then gave a small bang as it closed, the dark haired woman striding into the room regardless of the fact not all of the strangers had managed to change fully.

"Enid!" Her husband quickly jumped as if to save his wife's delicate eyes.

"Oh! It's nothing I haven't seen! I have you and three sons, I see enough male figures daily!" She simply waved off, tottering of to a shelved unit and grabbing three bowls and placing them on a small tray before she headed towards the still brewing broth over the fire, dishing some of the hot stew into each bowl before heading to the long wooden table and setting the bowls out.

"Eat up! Bread is already on the table!" She ordered, far too motherly for her own good as she then grabbed a basket and balanced it on one hip as she zipped around the three men collecting up their wet, dirty clothing to be washed.

"The horses are settled," Howell spoke as he shuffled in with his younger brother, their hair damp and clothes only lightly speckled with the rain but trouser legs where splattered with mud.

"Gaius was following too!" Dewey bowed his head to the dog slinking into the room, soaked and muddy.

"Boys change! Dog out!" Enid pointed and directed to each as she poke and like the dog, they all bowed their heads and slunk off quickly and with a pleased nod Enid turned on her heels and strode off with the basket, back to check on Hafwen leaving the three strangers of the house to pass odd glances between each other before the eldest with greying hair gave a shrug.

_**000**_

After a small amount of time the three sons had soon come back into the room and loitered around while the men sat gingerly at the table, eating the food that had been given, or more ordered to them.

"I'm sorry, my wife is over bearing at times," Brac sighed.

"I'm Brac and my wife is Enid," He nodded, to the men, hand shakes not needed for this was no formal meeting but before any of the men could reply with their names, be them real of fake, the woman they had found earlier was shoved back into the room in a night gown, her skin flushed with a bit more colour and hair damp but clean yet her lips still quivered and even though the colour brightened on her face, her eyes remained dull and lost.

"Sit down girl!" Enid scolded, shoving her down in a seat at the head of the table and instantly draping a blanket around her shoulders before deciding she needed a second one, she then pulled Hafwen's dark hair out from under the blankets and laid it on top so it would dry easier and wouldn't cause a chill on the back of her neck.

"Honestly what where you thinking!" The woman then frowned while Hafwen looked at the table top.

"You could have been killed! You know that right!" Enid burst in the start of a hysterical rant.

"They are not nice men and could have done away with you!" She threw an arm in the air.

"Enid!" Brac barked up with authority, frowning at his wife.

"Here you go Wen!" the youngest of the son's mumbled quietly, lifting a bowl of stew to the table and pushing it in front of his cousin.

"Thank you Evan," She whispered softly in reply.

"…What happened?" All eye's suddenly shot to Howell, the eldest, who instantly shrivelled up at all the different looks, scowls from his parents, a raised brow from the eldest stranger, a slight gawp from the younger one with dark hair and a rather indifferent look from the last stranger that quickly turned to unimpressed as he turned his eyes away from the boy and towards the young woman, her pretty features now clearer to see with out the mud.

"I failed, isn't that obvious," Her voice was soft, lost even but the moment her eyes flashed up to take in her cousin the fire could be seen with in them.

"I'll set you gentlemen up a room to stay and I'll have your clothes back to you once they have been washed.

"There is no need for that, we'll get out of your way," Behmen started to stand.

"Nonsense! You all went out of your way and brought our niece back!" Enid frowned, placing a hand on his shoulder and pushing him back down into his seat, much to his surprise, his old friend's amusement and their newest friend's shock.

"Hafwen we'll set up a cot next to the fire for you, you need the heat," The woman then headed off to do as she said and set up a room for the men.

With a sigh Hafwen looked off to the side, her eye's finding the fire as she slowly reached a hand up to prod a tender spot on her head, only for her face to twist lightly in a small wince.

With a small frown Behmen watched her and slowly rose from his seat once again, stepping in front of the young woman and surprising her lightly as he blocked the light from the fire and even more so when he moved her hand from her head and inspected the tender part of her head himself.

"You where hit with a blunt object, probably the hilt of a sword," Behmen stated, as his old friend nodded.

"Explains why you were laying face down in the mud unconscious," He shrugged before tearing a piece of bread in half and taking a bite while his friend turned from the young woman to give him a raised brow.

"It feels that way," Hafwen mumbled weakly, turning away from the man and taking no notice to the other man's words as she reached a trembling hand up to clutch at the blankets and bring them tighter around her.

"Right! Get in front of the fire!" Enid's voice barked, the woman having appeared with more blankets and sheets, and the middle aged son awkwardly dragging a mattress, having at one point been dragged into helping.

"And Howell! Go clean the dog off!" The woman then sent her eldest son off with a sigh.

"Enid, please calm down," Brac gave a tired sigh, he didn't even know the names of the men that had helped his niece and were now held captive in his farmhouse by his controlling wife.

"We never got you gentlemen's names?" Brac then tried to start casually, while Enid busied her self with placing a blanket down on the stone floor to take the cold harshness away before getting Dewey to lay the mattress on top of the blanket.

Hafwen watch blankly as her aunt tottered around the small make shift bed in front of the fire laying down sheets and blankets.

"I'm Behmen," The tall stranger still stood nodded.

"Felson," His older friend gave a nod from where he sat.

"My name is Debelzaq," The darker haired man added.

With a small frown tugging at her brows, Hafwen watch as her Aunt's actions came to a slow dwindle before she looked up at her husband, Hafwen's eyes turning to watch her uncle also, the man sat as if he was mulling over a taste in his mouth before he gave a slow nod and smile.

"Well it's a pleasure to meet you all," He stated.

"Hafwen!" The odd atmosphere was broken once again by Enid as she waved the young woman over, and when she didn't move fast enough the aunt was pulling the poor frozen woman up and leading her to the mattress by the fire place. Had Hafwen been in her normal state of health her Aunt would have had a hard time even trying to push the young woman around but now that she was physically and mentally drained, she just allowed it.

Once sat on the mattress Hafwen simply tucked her legs to her side and brought the blankets back around her whole form as the fire warmed at her back and dried her damp hair.

She sat listening to the murmur of exchanged words but not hearing what was said, her eyes turned down to the stitch of the fabric hiding her lap, the odd shadows dancing across it from the fire's flames. She had noticed the odd exchanges of looks her aunt and uncle gave but she didn't understand what they were for, they came just after the men's names but that still made no sense to her, these men where strangers but as she thought more on the matter she knew her aunt was prone to hearsay and would drum what ever she had heard or learnt into Brac, so the names spoken could simply hold some odd gossip Enid had probably heard and believed, notorious bandits, smugglers, conmen, ghosts what ever the story, Enid would know and believe.

It wasn't long till all thoughts had gone from Hafwen's mind and she sat simply numb, hearing the crackle of the fire behind her sent an odd chill over her and when she pinched her eyes shut she could see her burning home, her poor father trapped inside, screams came to her ears along with the roaring flames eating away her home, the image and sounds so clear she jolted her self out of the vision with a whispery gasp and teary eyes.

She kept her distress quiet, slowly lifting the back of her hand to her lips to hide their quivering as she then bowed her head, her dark hair sliding off her shoulders and creating drapes at the sides of her face as she closed her watery eyes, only letting a tear fall away from one eye before a second followed shortly after from her other eye.

She tried desperately to control herself, forcing a slow breath in and blowing it out just as slowly, if a little shaky, as her hand shook where it was positioned hiding her mouth, she didn't want to draw attention to herself because she didn't want anyone coming to her, she didn't want the awkward hugs and fake words and speeches that people can only muster when they have nothing they can possible say to make it better. Hugs to fill the space and words to fill the silence, but Hafwen couldn't deal with that, she couldn't open her arms for a hug and cry on someone's shoulder when upset, she could only keep to herself and want to be alone, so turning to the lumpy pillow thrown down on the mattress she lay down, curled in a protective ball under the two blankets her aunt had given her, she kept her emotional self to her self, as usual.

* * *

><p><strong>Yaaaaaaaaaaaay for pushy overbaring aunties! ... or is it just me on that one... the buggers...<strong>

**and waahaay for keeping your emotions and inner turmoil bottled up inside of you! Eatting away slowly at your heart and soul!**

**...it saves the awkward moment of bursting out into tears infront of strangers...whom can't comfort you with out seeming weird!**

**see a silver lining to the keeping the inner turmoil to your self! YOU SAVE EVERYONE FROM THE AWKWARD 'THE HELL DO I DO' MOMENT!**


	5. Proper

**Sooooo yer... i forgot how easy it was to write this :D**

**coz the idea's just flow in and i basically know what i wanna put**

**i have a begining, middle and end all planned out ready**

**its rough sure... but i know where the story is going so i'm not really umming and areing about what to put next**

**it's just the creative part of everything that just takes tiiiime**

**he he any whoooo...**

* * *

><p><span>5: Proper<span>

"You should rise with the sun now Hafwen," The voice was soft as was the gentle rocking of her shoulder from where the dark haired woman was trying to waken the younger woman from her sleep.

"Hafwen!" The soft voice vanished and the gentle rocking turned into a sharp shake.

"Yes!" The younger woman frowned, swatting away her aunt.

"It would be best if you got up and dressed before our guests come down, it would not be proper for them to have to step over you while you sleep later than you should!" Enid rose her brows expectantly.

"After last night I doubt they would have taken much notice to what was proper form me," Hafwen stated as she sat up.

"You should change into some warm day clothes none the less, you must keep your body warm to save illness taking you!" the dark haired elder scolded.

"Then if I am to keep warm shouldn't I say in bed?" Hafwen tilted her head as she spoke back to her aunt.

"After all, that is the most common remedy for fevers and illness, bed rest." she continued.

"Well you shall keep warm in a more proper manner!" Enid then passed on the bundle of clothing she held, onto Hafwen before pointing off to the door at the other end of the room.

"Go into the wash room, change and make yourself presentable" she ordered before standing and heading off to potter around the farm house.

With a small sigh Hafwen stood, she was grouchy in the mornings on any day, this day was no different, but unfortunately her spirits would not lift and wake as she did, not after her world had changed. It already felt like months since her sister had been taken when it had only been a mere few hours.

Hafwen changed painfully slow, her limbs felt heavy and muscles ached as she pulled each layer of clothing on, even near the end of the lengthy change her fingers screamed with effort as she re-laced the bodice at the front of her dress and knotted the bottom of it in a bow.

With a hearty sigh she smoothed her hands down the front of the deep burgundy dress, the fabric was thick and the length was long, even the sleeve covered half of her palms, it was a dress to battle the cold in, a dress for warmth.

Her fingertips had lost there heat but as Hafwen pressed them to her swollen eye lids she was glad the heat was gone from them, her eyes were still red from the silent tears she had shed threw out the night and her lids were warm, puffy and swollen as a result from that, so the chill of her finger tips soothing them worked in her favour, her warm face also seemed to warm her fingers.

With a slow calming breath Hafwen smoothed out her hair, it was now dry and clean, seeming almost weightless and fluffy as it was free from dirt, holding a healthy shine and soft texture and a few odd waves in the length of dark hair from where it had been allowed to dry on it's own accord and slept on while slightly damp.

There wasn't much else Hafwen could do for her appearance, her skin had lost it's usual glow and colour, though most of it had returned with the heat in her body, the brighter part of her that made that glow radiant and the colour in her skin even had been washed away with each tear that fell down her cheek.

Opening the door back into the main room of the house Hafwen lifted her eyes and jolted at the sight of a tall unknown man, her brown eyes growing wide and doe like as the sharp thoughts of Witch hunters prowling threw the houses struck at her mind first, till her sense came around and she noticed the stance of the man and the look on his face. His stance was tall and proud but he wasn't smug and over bearing about it, he did not push his high stance on everyone to see, it was just there but he was respectful in the way he kept his form of hierarchy to himself, unlike the Witch hunters who would storm in with heads held high, looking down at everything that passed their sights and shoving their authority into everyone's faces, choking people with their fear educed hierarchy. No, the man oozed respect for others and his face showed it, there was no snarl or leering look on his face, he didn't even look down his nose at the floor of the house and the moment Hafwen had opened the door into the main room of the farm house and effectively drew the man's attention to her, she saw from his eyes and already knew from his actions, he was chivalrous.

She should have know from the moment he helped her the night before, but she was a pitiful state and she knew that, but even the wary others would have passed her body on by or steered away from her.

"Hafwen! It's good to see some colour in your cheeks!" Her uncle spoke up as he came in threw the small front door and instantly her eyes dropped to the floor, away from the stranger as she stepped further into the room, the light in the small farmhouse was dark and amber, the light only coming from the blazing fire once the door had been shut, closing off the bright silver light from the white clouded sky outside.

"It is probably just the glow from the fire," She spoke quietly, her voice soft and weak as if she hadn't spoken in years, as she stepped closer to the fireplace.

Brac looked over to his wife before the turning his eyes to the stranger that had helped her, all wanting to ask how she was but none feeling they could.

Her aunt and uncle knew exactly what had happened and why she was as she was, but the stranger did not, he knew nothing of what had happened, and why he found her the way he did and he knew there was more to the story, but he wanted to know how she was, it just wasn't his place to ask.

"How are you feeling dear?" Brac then asked softly, feeling he should be the one to bring the question too her, shearing more of her pain than the others in the room.

"In terms of my health?" She raised her eyes to her uncle with the question before lowing them to look at the flames of the fire.

"I'm fine," She then mumbled.

"Wen!" A younger voice broke threw the room as the youngest of her cousins came down the stairs with a thunder of foot steps.

"Are you alright?" He asked with a childish worry, flinging his arm around her waist.

"I'm fine Evan," Her lips curled up in the corners with a fighting smile, a chipper emotion she forced on her face for the sake of the young boy, the tiny placement of her lips seeming out of place and that forced it was at threat to cracking her cheeks like a delicate pottery.

"Evan, I told you to help your brothers with the horses!" Enid scolded lightly as Hafwen stood back to her full height after having to bend to hug Evan properly.

"I shall make myself useful and head to the stables also my Lady," The stranger bowed his head.

"Nonsense Behmen, you and your friends have already done enough!" Enid chirped motioning to Hafwen who had turned to watch the man the moment he spoke, but as soon as he looked her way she turned her head, embarrassed.

"I insist!" He tried to counter.

"I can show you to the stables Sir!" Evan chirped up helpfully with an arm in the air before heading to the door and opening it wide, letting the pale light from out side streak across the floor and Behmen followed with a bow of his head as he excused himself.

Hafwen having kept to her self between the shadows and the glow of the fire.

"That man save your life, do not forget to thank him," Enid then spoke after a moments silence once the door had been closed.

"Of course I won't!" Hafwen turned to the older woman with a frown, appalled that she would think her own niece would be so ungrateful.

"I was just saying, you have hardly said a good day to him!" Enid defended after receiving the sharp tone of the younger woman.

"Well forgive me for not greeting everyone like the sunshine of the village when the light from my world has been ripped away from me!" Hafwen spat hotly, she hated how her aunt could be so narrow minded at times, when it wasn't a life or death situation then acting proper came above all.

With that said Hafwen stormed from her place by the fire and strait out the front door, the pale light outside was assaulting to the eye, the soft dim glow from inside the house quite a contrast to the white clouded sky outside.

Once her eyes had blinked away the shock of the assault and her brows relaxed against the sudden glare, Hafwen looked around with a sudden lost expression, where could she go for peace now, usually it was her home, it was always her home.

"Hafwen!" Brac called, his voice soft and pleading, causing the young woman to turn her head back to the door, spotting her uncle outstretching an arm and waving her back to the house.

Hafwen stared at him for a moment before turning her head back and simply taking her steps to where ever they may lead.

_**000**_

Behmen stood brushing down a black stallion, the horse was tall and it's muscles where lean, it's coat was short and glossy, very much unlike the horses Felson, Debelzaq and himself had managed to bring together.

"This is no farm horse," The knight spoke, running hand over the animal's flanks.

"That horse is from Hafwen's farm," Dewey, the middle aged of the boys, stated, looking over from the pile of hay he was shifting.

"We only have two working horses here," He then nodded to the large, stocky horses their job were more than likely heavy duty due to their build.

"Where are the other horses from?" Felson then perked up from where he was leaning on a horse box holding various tack for the working horses.

"There from Hafwen's farm too!" Evan smiled.

"Hafwen's father used to raise war horses for the city, some times they get a request for a noble steed," Howell rolled his eyes, as he moved a saddle to rest in a new place.

"You don't approve of this?" The younger of the strange men spoke up, having caught the eye roll of the young man.

"It is just a lengthy waste of time, plus these horses aren't going anywhere now so it is just more to feed," The elder of the bothers motioned to four other horses tied with in the stable that didn't fit in amongst the other frumpy horses, the three that the men had rode in and the two that belonged on the farm.

"Your horses are more suitable for our life style and farm work then these expensive hides," Howell wrinkle his nose as he motioned to the would be war horses or noble horses.

"We'd be happy to trade!" Felson piped up with a small smile.

"Felson," Behmen rose a brow towards his friend.

"What! I'm just saying, our horses are more suited to the farm life style and these horses are more suited to our life style!" The elder of the strangers motioned from their frumpy, long coated work horses and to the long legged, well bred horses from Hafwen's farm.

With a roll of his eyes and shake of his head Behmen looked away from the small group gathered in the stables, running a hand down the stallion's black muzzle before his eyes lifted to the open doors of the stables where he spotted a lone figure in a deep burgundy dress, stride threw the grassy field outside.

_**000**_

With a deep shaky breath Hafwen calmed herself as she stood in the same spot she had the night before, this time when she looked upon her house it was a mount of ash and charcoal rather than the flaming abyss.

The area was black and odd beams and burnt wall still stood defiantly like a skeleton of the fallen, but those beams only helped to visualise the rooms that were once there more vividly. The odd walls that were still there where a slight reminder of the home and still inviting despite the delicate state, they were unstable.

Tears sprung to her eyes once more as she looked down on what used to be her home, the sounds of approaching foot steps behind her causing her to turn with a small frown, expecting to have to tell her uncle or aunty to leave her alone but upon seeing the chivalrous stranger her eyes widened as she took in a sharp, shaky breath, quickly turning away as she wiped her eyes.

"My Lady?" He questioned as he stepped up next to her, his brown creased in a slight worry as she gave a small cough.

"Hafwen," She spoke quietly, giving a nod and another small cough to clear her throat, so she could talk properly, before rubbing her tear damp hands on the skirts of her dress before folding her arms protectively under her bust, her hands clutching at her arms a bit tighter due to the chill.

"I think I gave my name to you the other night," She frowned lightly as she thought, her head had hurt and she was awfully disorientated at the time so she couldn't be sure.

"You did, but I didn't give mine so I didn't want to start off on familiarities we don't have," He nodded as he explained.

"I'm Behmen," He offered a small smile as Hafwen turned her eyes to him and froze at the sight of his out stretched hand.

"Pleased to meet you," She delicately and rather sheepishly took his hand and flushed quite brilliantly as her knuckles were raised to his lips in a courteous greeting.

"Like wise," Behmen raised to his full height, still holding her hand before placing his other hand on top of her's, capturing it in a lock of warmth.

"I have been meaning to ask how you are?" He tilted his head lightly, trying to find Hafwen's eyes as they seemed to fall to look else where.

"…I…I am well," She nodded after a pause of thought and with a slow nod Behmen decided to leave it at that, if she wanted to speak then she would.

"What happened here?" He then nodded towards the burnt remains of the farm house.

"…a fire," Hafwen stated weakly, her voice dropping down to a whisper as she slid her hand from his and returned to her protective arm cross.

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><p><strong>feh!<strong>

**proper!**

**who needs to be proper where you were found laying in mud with a dog licking your face to wake you up!**

**:D**


	6. Ash

**Sooooooooooooooooo**

**... i have nothing really to say right now...**

**...but for your enjoyment!...Heres a lovely smiley face!**

**:D**

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><p><span>6: Ash<span>

"How did the fire start?" Behmen's brow was frowned with suspicion, already putting together possibilities of why the woman before him was as she was and why he had found her the way he did.

Hafwen lifted her eyes to his and she tried to stay strong, bite back the tears and swallow the lump in her throat but the wound was still fresh and the moment her eyes turned away from his in search of a sight less penetrating than his gaze, did her eyes come back to rest on her destroyed home and that is when the flood gates opened.

"Ruthless men! They came into the village, did what they pleased! They took everything from me," Hafwen broke, choking on a few sobs as she tried to calm her self, she was in a state, tears unforgiving now as they spilled carelessly from her eyes, how had she let her self crumble in front of a stranger?

Behmen stood silent, there wasn't a lot he could do, the woman had turned her body away from him, her stance protective of her self and unwelcome to any approach of anyone with sympathy, she was trying to hide her tears despite it being as plain as day to see how distraught she was, other's may not have picked up on such stance and body language and probably would have pestered and fussed the poor woman too breaking point, but Behmen knew better than trying to counsel someone he didn't know, it wasn't his place to pry into her problems and offer comfort he couldn't give, there where no familiarities between them after all.

Unfortunately for Hafwen's emotional well being and Behmen's avoidance of prying he had asked one question too many and stumbled upon the reason to the woman's torment.

"Lady Hafwen," Behmen started softly, wanting to gain the woman's attention.

"I'm fine!" She instantly chirped with a strained voice and a sniffle, lifting a hand from their tight fold under her bust, once again, to wipe her face dry.

"I shouldn't have pried," The knight shook his head.

"You asked one question, I'm just being over sensitive," She murmured, clearing her throat with a small cough before taking a deep breath and blinking away the excess moister in her eye.

"It is a sensitive matter," Behmen stated.

Instead of replying or even acknowledging the man spoke Hafwen descended the small hill, heading towards her burnt home.

Her strides started out determined but as the burnt house before her grew larger the closer she got, the strides slowed to faltered steps, her toes scuffing against the ash covered mud as her eyes began to sting with a threat of tears as she looked up at her dead home, the gentle breeze lifted a few flakes of the ash, freeing them in a gliding tumble from the walls of the blackened farm house and kicking them up in a gentle swirl around the floor, moving them as easily as a few strands of Hafwen's straying dark hair.

She looked upon the house, something that used to be so warm and welcoming a bad thought was hardly passed threw her mind when ever she saw it, but now she stared at it as if it was a deathly beast released from the devil's arms.

With a small frown she looked away, winching at the thought she had for her own home, but when her eyes landed on the small black cat with a white chin, set on the fence post of a now destroyed paddock everything stopped, she still hung by her tail, nailed into the wood. No, them men where beasts released from the devil's arms.

A sharp breath released her from her frozen state and instantly she dipped and scooped the skirts of her dress into her arms, much like a young child when trying to play when the annoying length of fabric would restrict movement.

She turned quickly on her heels and charged off at a run.

Startled, Behmen jolted in a start, stop motion, naturally going to follow her but stopping himself, unsure if he was meant to follow and confused to the sudden action.

"Where are you going?" He decided on asking instead, turning to watch her storm past.

"To get a shovel!" Were her shouted words, her voice forced to be strong and after watching her fast pace with raised brows, he decided to brush the confusion away for now and follow after her.

She near enough skidded into the barn homing the ruckus of boys and men for the moment, she had swung herself to a stop when she grabbed the large frame of the open barn doors to slow her run and turn her into the building.

One hand still held up her dress while her other supported herself on the wooden frame, her body slightly hunched as she drew in ragged breaths, her hair falling over her face as she looked around desperately from where she stood, unaware and uncaring of the sudden silence her presence brought

.

"Hafwen?" Dewey perked, having been the first to recover out of his brothers.

She said nothing nor did she look his way, she simply released her hold on her dress and pushed away from the support of the open barn door and near enough dived threw the farm tools till she found a shovel, holding it tightly in both hands and looking over it with a form determination as she stumbled back a step or two out of the clattered pile of work tools she had created.

Holding the shovel in her left hand, she strode over to the opposite side of the barn and snatched some left over sacks from the animal feeds before gathering half her skirts of her dress in her right hand rather awkwardly with all the sacks she'd grabbed.

The three brothers and two strangers stayed perfectly still and quiet at the back of the barn, just watching with a confused and dumbfounded form of fascination.

She then departed as wordlessly as she had arrived, turning back to the open barn door and dashing out, nearly ploughing into Behmen if he hadn't stopped in time.

The tall knight paused, once again falling into a small start, stop motion as he instantly started to follow after her but stopped in the confusion as he watched her dart back off towards the burnt remains of the second farm house.

He turned his confused frown into the barn, where five equally lost and confused faces stared back, movement only coming back to the brothers as they glanced between each other before dropping what they were doing and darting off to follow.

"Should we…?" Debelzaq left the question to trail open as he raised his brows and pointed towards the open barn door and obviously in motion to where the woman and now three boys had run off too.

Behmen said nothing, his chest merely rose and fell with a deep sigh as he turned and followed.

Unsure if that was the answer, the priest looked towards the other knight whom wordlessly gave his arm a some what gentle hit, or rough nudge before standing and following, the priest going also.

"What are you doing?" Howell called from where he pursued after his older cousin, quickly catching up now she had slowed to a stop at the top of the small shallow hill that lead down to her home.

"You left them!" She rounded on him with a screech.

"What?" He held his hands up, in defence as her grip on the shovel started to shake.

"My father is still laying in that house isn't he!" She scowled, throwing an arm out to point at the burnt reminded of what once was there, the sacks in her hand giving a slight ruffle.

"And Cai! She is still pinned to that damned fence post like some sign of evil, which she is not!" Her voice broke.

"So did you!" Howell hollered back, he was a nice lad but very much like his mother he was narrow minded and rather selfish, Hafwen knew this but his words still slapped some shock across her face.

"…I…I went after my sister! …Before it was too late!" She all but nearly shrieked, surely that had been clear to her family?

Her eyes darted to the coming arrival of the strangers, their approach having slowed as they saw the family members talking and with a small frown Hafwen kept her tone lowered.

"…But…mama said to leave it be?" Evan answered honestly and quietly, his nature sweet and so innocent in his lack of understanding in his youth as he tried to defend his brothers with what they were simply told.

Her face softened towards the young boy, but her lips parted to draw in a small breath as if she had been stung.

"Why?" Hafwen looked lost, turning to the two elder boys who both bowed their heads.

"She…she believes the witch hunters? You all do?" She questioned in horror, trying desperately to keep from screaming out, but as the three strangers came closer to the family members and ear shot of any talk, Hafwen pinched her lips together and shook her head.

"Go back to your mother!" She spat, turning on her heels and heading down the small hill while the boys bowed their heads and slunk off.

Hafwen's family was not as close as she had once thought.

With a scrutinizing gaze Behmen watch the exchange, as did Felson with a more relaxed stance, both his brows raised, even Debelzaq's brow was creased with worry of what had been shared and over what matter.

The groups eye's followed the boys as they did as they were told and waiting till they where out of ear shot Felson perked up.

"You know when no one tells you, you're about to walk onto marsh land, then you get stuck in the mud suddenly, and even if you try and get out you can't, you're just trapped or sink deeper… This is going to turn into one of them moments isn't it?" He asked his two companions with raised brows, looking between them with a few small bobs of his head in agreement to his own words.

"Felson," Behmen raised a brow and gave a tried sigh, but the annoyed warning in his tone still managed to come threw, and with that stern yet slightly tired look on his face he turned and descended down the hill.

"Behmen, you don't know when you'll hit the marsh land!" The elder knight called out the warning with raised brows, before turning to the priest with a sigh and disappointed look, only to frown in confusion at the look of disapproval on the younger man's face before he too descended down the small hill.

"What?" Felson opened his arms with a slight shrug, following not long after.

Loud sniffles and choked coughs where the only sounds that came from the dark haired woman, she cradled the cat in her left arm, holding it's cold body on top of the sack as a form of blanket for the poor animal that had no doubt been petrified and tormented in it's last moments of life and now Hafwen cried and choked back sobs as her whole form shook, trying to bring the dead animal at least some form of comfort to put an end to it's horror and unnecessary shaming and murder.

The thoughts where running ramped threw her mind, unwavering and un-resting, and the more she paused to dwell on them awful thoughts, the what's, the how's and the whys?, the more she suffered physically as well as mentally, her mind buzzed with everything her eyes sight blurred with tears and hands shook, everything becoming so much worst, it was upsetting and frustrating…she couldn't pull the nail out.

She couldn't even free the poor cat from the fence post.

Her brows once knotted in an angry frown at the thought of the men that had caused all the torment soon turned into a more pained frown, all sides of the blunt flat of the nail was digging into her palm from where she was clenching her hand around it so tightly, trying to free it from the wood. Her body was more drained and weaker than she thought and with a small groan she bowed her head with a held back sob that racked her chest and shook her shoulders.

When a warmth surrounded her hand she looked up with alarm, her hair flicking around her face with the motion while her wide brown eyes looked up to the tall man stood at her side, his face etched with a pained expression.

She wanted to accuse the look of being that of pity, but pity was a look people threw down on others they didn't know well enough over something they didn't quite understand, his look was far deeper, his pained expression held more depth and understanding to what he saw and what she was feeling.

Behmen said nothing as he gently pried her hand away from the nail before pulling a small blade from a back sheath on his belt, a knife or dagger like that of a hunter or traveller, a handy thing for when you caught your dinner and had to cook it.

He used the blade to lever and wrench the nail out of the wood, part of the area around the nail's point splintering, the whole motion and removal of the nail from the wood was made to look so effortless and easy.

The tiny weight of the cat fell fully into her arm now and with a sniffle Hafwen brought her other arm up to cradle her sister's cat as she slowly sunk down onto her knees, lowering the half wrapped pet onto her lap, her head bowing as she gently wrapped the cat up fully in it's make shift blanket, to sleep properly forever, before she set the bundle on the ground in front of her knees and rested her hands in her lap, her head remaining bowed as her chest jolted every now and then with deep gasps threw her other wise silent tears.

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><p><strong>We are family! ...or was for Hafwen D:<strong>

**...yeeeeeer... i love writing happy stories...**

**...ohhhh waaaaait ¬¬**

**... i have a bit of an imagination when it comes to writing detail of quite emotional or horrifying things... but i kept it very calm and mellow today ^-^**

**...i managed to make one of my friends cry... a few times actually...in this one story i wrote...as well as scared and paranoid XD**

**bad times! But i promise i no makey you cry! or any of the above :D**

**...unless you want to in which case...go crazy XD**

**...or...just enjoy the happy face :D**


	7. Buried

**Back again... sorry long wait... i have so many ideas and just so little time! but yeah!**

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><p><span>7: Buried<span>

Fresh soil mounded up over the new grave, the earth was soggy causing great clumps of mud to stick together making the swell of dirt even more daunting and seem that bit more weighty, pushing the body far beneath in a still, tight hold.

Hafwen stared down at the mound, before tarring her gaze away to the left, peering at the tree line that quickly grew into a dense wood, suddenly feeling a deep depth of nothing, she wasn't sad, nor was she angry, she's let herself slip into a daft recluse of ignorance. It felt better this way, to ignore what was true and live in pretend, but this did no good and it never would, it would turn her into a troubled spinster, forever muttering in her make believe world, before it helped her live again.

With a thick swallow she brought her eyes back to the grave, that deep depth of nothing instantly squeezing shut tight with hurt, anger, betrayal, sadness and loss. It was a wakening back to reality from a silly ignorance.

"Hafwen?" The voice of her aunt questioned delicately, placing a hand on her shoulder, the woman had been stepping very carefully after her sons had returned to the house much earlier in that day, the eldest explosive with a confused anger as he repeated the events and words spoken with his cousin.

The elder sister did not reply but she did inch her head lightly to the side to frown at the hand touching her before rolling her shoulder to release her from the contact, she wanted nothing to do with her aunt at the moment in time, even her uncle, Brac, seemed stand offish with his wife having heard her belief on the matter.

Debelzaq raised his head to the young woman, his hands clasping at the tattered holy book he kept, having said some words and put the body of Hafwen's father to rest, he did not want to pester her, nor did the two knights that stood off to the side of the broken family.

With a soft yet lengthy intake of breath Hafwen raised her eyes to the priest, her face unwilling to crack with the emotions her eyes so easily leaked.

"Thank you," She uttered quietly, but the man heard, giving a bob of his head in reply to her softly whispered words before she was off, walking at a slow pace as she passed the older grave to the right of her father's, her eyes captivated by the resting place of her mother, before her pace quickened as she headed for the village.

"Marburg, my dear," The stoutly old man spoke as he tinkered with a few jars.

"Are you sure?" Hafwen frowned, her fingers twisting into the skirts of her dress as she stared at the man of medicine in front of her.

He was an old man, firm in his beliefs and not one to take idle gossip and shenanigans of others visiting the village to heart, he was strong minded and wouldn't be swayed into believing anything or have any of his views changed by the talk of the town, but he had been shaken by the crude arrival of the witch hunters.

He was a trust worthy man and he had know Hafwen's family before she even came to be.

"They will take the women they have collected to the city to be tested by the priests, rewards will be given for any true witches found and they no doubt will be sent to the monastery for a trial," He spoke, still busying himself with his low stock.

"But… innocent women will not survive the tests they carry out to find a witch!" The dark haired woman instantly started to threat.

"The high priest has seen to changes, the tests are not the same as they once where a few years back" He pressed, looking over to the young woman before taking a quick glance out the window to check all was clear.

"So what of the innocent women?" She then whispered as the old man motioned her to hush.

"They will be released," He spoke quietly.

"How do you know of all this?" She then frowned lightly.

"I have heard things," he nodded.

"I didn't think you where one to listen to the gossip!" Hafwen crinkled her nose at the thought.

"There is a difference between hearing and listening dear!" The elderly man simply stated.

"Right, how long does it take to get to Marburg?" She then questioned, gnawing at her bottom lip.

"Planning a trip there?" he rose his brows as he cast a look towards the young woman who in turn said nothing.

"Half a day's ride if you're travelling by cart with a slow pony, like I do," he then went on to answer. "If you have a good horse and maintain a reasonable pace you'll more than likely manage it in a few hours." He watched as she nodded to what he was saying before he decided to add some more.

"The witch hunters wouldn't have arrived in the city yet, they spent a good day in our little village and there are three more on the way to Marburg, I have no doubt they would have stopped off, if you set off in the morning and rode strait to the city you will probably arrive before them, if not meet them on the road there," The old man corked a stray bottle and set it aside in his idle sounding chat while knowing he was adding fuel to the already burning fire with in Hafwen, helping to build her hope.

"Thank you," The elder sister nodded, as she turned to leave but pausing at the door before she looked back at the man, "And thank you for hearing what has been going on, but not listening to the lies," she spoke softly.

"Safe trip Hafwen, I'll stop by to see your father and mother while you are gone," He simply answered with a nod, leaving the young woman to excuse herself, closing the door to his little shop behind her with a soft click.

She took a deep breath to calm the sudden growth of nerves in her stomach, she felt almost excited that she still had so much hope at getting her little sister back and it seemed so simple in thought.

She strode on with purpose next, she needed to prepare and gather what she had, which was very little considering her house had been burnt down and everything along with it, but she needed some form of supplies, that and see needed to see her father's horses safe homes.

As she rounded the small Traven of the village, her foot steps slowed as she caught sound of her sisters name being spoken in a hushed tone.

Hafwen turned to the voices, etching closer as she came upon two of the young barmaids cleaning up a few flagons left outside.

"Well she did have that black cat," The one spoke, "You where right to voice your concerns,"

"I didn't think she was a-a… you know!" The second spoke, tucking away a strand of dirty blonde hair.

"A witch?" Hafwen decided to offer, her chest awfully tight with sudden wound up rage and both girls instantly shot up with stiff spines, spinning to face the older sister with eyes as wide as a wagon's wheels.

Both girls stuttered stupidly in fright, and they had good reason to be fearful, Hafwen was never one to look for confrontation, but today was going to be her first.

"You where supposed to be her friend Arlais!" Hafwen spoke in a deadly tone to the young blonde, causing her to shrink back as well as the other bar maid.

"I-I only said what I knew," She merely peeped in her defence.

"You knew nothing! You stupid, stupid girl!" The elder sister raged. "Rhoslyn's cat was not all black you dense, child! Her cat was black and white like any common cat! Now because of your stupid gossiping you have condemned an innocent person!" Hafwen's voice raised in pitch in a near screech at the end, the blonde Arlais shaking where she stood, clutching onto the other bar maid who was trying so desperately to shy away from the situation.

"I…I didn't know," She tried quietly.

"You forever have black crows out side your house! What do you say to that!" Hafwen then spoke, her brows in a deep scowl but tone brought down to something a bit calmer.

"They… they eat the seeds we plant," She then chirped in confusion.

"What if I said you are a witch and are feeding the birds of the devil!" The elder sister hissed.

"That's not true!" The blonde maid then frowned.

"No! It's not!" Hafwen clipped "Just like it is not true that Rhoslyn is a witch because her cat was mostly black!"

With that said Arlais bowed her head, her bottom lip trembling as she gave a sniffle.

"Don't cry and pity your self! You should feel shameful you opened your mouth to spread gossip you stupid child!" the elder sister showed no remorse for the younger woman and with her hands clenched dangerously tight she was off, storming back to her uncle's farm house.

Hafwen's head burnt and banged with so many more angry things to say, so much more just kept popping up the more she passed villagers who'd promptly stop their whispering at the mere sight of her.

With a groan she threw the battered leather saddle back onto the horse box before pressing the heels of her palms to her forehead, hoping to balance out the sudden pressure building in her head.

"Hafwen?" The voice that spoke was one of the new ones she'd started to recognise, but had to look up to figure out who it belonged to out of the three strangers she had met.

"Yes, sorry Sir, I was just," She motioned to the saddle after pulling her hands away from her face, before deciding on just falling quiet.

"Behmen," The tall man simply nodded as he stepped closer.

"Sorry?" Hafwen turned to him, her brows twitching down in a light confusion.

"Call me Behmen," He clarified, causing her to look away with a nod.

"Behmen…" She started, trying the name on her tongue and in the tone of voice that hinted at a question to come.

"Yes?" He decided to press as the young woman seemed to paused a little too long, and he watched as her gaze seemed to be caught by the lovely group of tall, lean, well bred horses tethered in the large open stall.

"Can I ask you something?" She turned her attention back to him, and to her question he simply nodded.

"How are your horses?" She questioned with a tilt of her head.

The knight was not taken back by the question, more confused by it as he passed a glance over to the short, stocky animals Debelzaq, Felson and himself had rode in.

"They are more suited for the farm," Hafwen spoke up as she glanced towards the horses in question, slowly glancing back to the tall man in hopes she hadn't offended.

"You are right, they are, but they where all we could find," He bobbed his head in a nod with his agreement.

"Perhaps, you'd like to trade?" Her voice was soft, hopeful and so quiet.

He looked towards her with a raise of a single brow, she was biting at her bottom lip, her eyes flicking from trying to keep eye contact with him, occasionally breaking to glance at random places and items around the barn, seeming almost as if her request was ridiculous and cheeky.

"Excuse me?" He frowned a little, wanting her to clarify to ensure he had heard right.

"Well, you could do with some better horses, your old horses would be more use on the farm, and it would really be doing me a favour if you took my father's," She explained, walking a few steps backwards towards her father's well bred horses, before half turning so she could motion to them.

When she didn't get a reply as soon as she would have liked, she started to wring her fingers together, gnawing at her bottom lip before she tried to explain her reasoning's.

"I…I don't really trust my family as much as I did," She started, not wanting to get too in-depth on what had happened. "So…I don't want to leave them here, plus I have to thank you in some way for what you did for me!" she then motioned towards him, her brows raising.

"Do you need good horses?" She questioned, again in that small hopeful voice.

"Yes, have you seen the farm animals we've had to ride!" The strong, deep voice of Felson sounded as he strode in the barn, stopping next to Behmen and setting his hands on his hips while leaning his weight more onto the one leg. "What you offering Lady?" he asked curtly with a nod causing Hafwen to straiten up and quickly untie one of the tall horses while Behmen shot his old friend a frown.

"What?" Felson opened his arms with a shrug at the other knight before facing forwards as Hafwen brought forwards a dark brown mare, her legs where long and slim, muscles flexing beautifully in her eager, energetic walk.

"Ah, there's a beaut!" He grinned, reaching a hand out to meet the nose of the mare, running his hand up the white blaze on her face before taking the lead rope Hafwen offered out to him.

"I'm asking you swap horses, take my father's and see them a good fair life," The elder sister looked to Felson as he guided the horses head up and ran a hand down it's strong neck.

She then turned her attention back to Behmen.

"Please," she tilted her head lightly before motioning to walk to the horses with her.

"They are good horses! They really are!" She spoke heading towards the black stallion and bringing the large steed round to face the knight, watching as he brought a hand up to smooth the beautiful horse.

"I trust my uncle, I know he wouldn't want to sell them, but they can't be left to stand in a barn," She shook her head lightly "and I know they wont work hard to look after them, and if they did sell them on, it would be to anyone, I want them to be with good people, that know how to look after them," she finished quietly.

"How do you know if we are the right people?" Behmen decided to challenge, rubbing the stallion's muzzle as he dipped his large head towards him.

"I can see he appreciates the beauty of a horse," She gave a ghost of a smile as she motioned over to Felson, causing Behmen to look back on his friend who was smoothing his hand down the back of the mare, feeling the strong muscles before he then checked the animals hooves, and with a small smile he turned back to the black stallion in front of him, sweeping some of it's glorious black forelock out of its face.

"You both do," she added quietly, catching the knights attention as he looked towards her, finding she had been watching him. "I think you'll be good for these horses," she added, holding the read rope out for him to take.

With a nod Behmen lifted his hand and took the rope offered to him and instantly Hafwen released the lead rope and took a step back.

"Thank you," she nodded before turning to the three remaining horses from her father's collection.

"Your other friend may have our chestnut mare!" She then declared, pointing to the horse stood next to two grey mares.

With a nod Behmen glanced over at the horse before questioning the other two.

"What of the grey horses?" he rose a brow.

"They come with me when I pick up my sister," Hafwen spoke as she walked around the knight and his new horse, giving the chestnut mare a fuss before moving to the two greys, smoothing her hand down the face of the lighter coloured of the two.

"This is Cloud," she smiled fondly as the light grey horse leaned into her touch, "My sister's horse, and then there is Avon," She ducked under Cloud's neck to come to stand next to the darker grey mare, "She's my horse, we weren't supposed to name them, but we fell in love with them and our father let us keep them," she smoothed the mares dark grey muzzle lovingly.

"The other three haven't been named, that's your choosing now," she nodded, looking up to the knight who had been watching her with interest.

"What?" she frowned lightly.

Behmen looked back at Felson before turning the black stallion and tying him back up before he walked slowly round to the other side of Hafwen's horse, lifting a hand and stroking the animal's neck.

"I know your not telling me everything," He stated, his eyes taking in the mixture of grey, white and black hairs mottling together on the horses neck, making up the dappled grey colour.

Instantly Hafwen bit her lip and looked down.

"Well, you haven't even asked about anything, most would badger and pester till they got every detail they wanted," she mumbled, twirling her finger into the wiry hair on the horse main.

"It's not my place, I have no right to pry," Behmen looked across at the young woman, who nodded at his words and looked down.

"Makes a nice change," she uttered to herself.

"Small villages are filled with some small minded people that make it their business to know everyone else's business," he started, pausing as he waited for her to raise her eyes back to him and when she did he continued. "I'm not going to press something you don't want to share," he shook his head lightly.

"Thank you," she nodded, again that weak, ghost of a smile lifting at the corners of her lips.

"This horse is beautiful!" Felson called, now sat atop the brown mare, walking her around the open area of the barn bare back.

"Take the horses as a thank you for helping me when you didn't have to and give them a good life," Hafwen nodded lightly.

"We will," Behmen agreed with a firm nod before watching the young woman wander off, out the barn.

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><p><strong>And yeah... i find this one was more of a scene filler... coz i hate to just skip frame with out actually explaining how they got there and why this, that and the other has happened... etc etc etc.<strong>


	8. Wandering

**Don't mind me while i just sheepishly creep in... O_O**

**long time...**

**sorry...**

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><p>8: Wandering<p>

A deep frown was etched onto Hafwen's brow as she sat at her uncle's table, not hearing nor listening to what her aunty was screaming at her. Of course it was now down to Hafwen to bring more shame onto the family and cause them to become outcast if she did leave to look for her sister, these where the thoughts of Enid.

"Enough! You have no say over what I do!" Hafwen bellowed with a sudden strength, causing the older woman to near bite her tongue she closed her mouth so fast.

"I bring no shame here, neither does Rhoslyn! You bring shame onto your self! Believing the petty whispers!" The elder sister was now on her feet, back in her right frame of mind, defences up and hackles raised.

The elder woman had no more she could possibly say and excused herself from the room, scowling at her husband as she barrelled past.

Two sets of sighs sounded from both Hafwen and her uncle as they each slumped down into opposite chairs on the table.

"I was hoping she wouldn't find out till morning, save the hassle," Brac huffed tiredly before setting the bundle he held on the table. "Here, spare change of clothes, enough for you for a few days and obviously for Rhoslyn, a few blankets…just encase you need them, you've already got some food sorted and here is some money," her uncle placed a little leather coin purse on top of the pile as Hafwen paused what she was doing, wrapping up some bread.

"Uncle, I don't want your money," She sighed quietly.

"Take it as payment," He shrugged.

"For what?" the young woman rolled her eyes.

"Well you swapped your horses from them little stocky numbers! I'll buy them off you and put them to good use!" he gave a weak grin to which Hafwen sighed and nodded softly.

"Thank you uncle," she whispered, before continuing to pack what she needed, or what she thought she needed.

After a short silence there was a knock on the door to which Brac answered only to wave the three men in.

"What you knock for?" he frowned as the men found their way in.

"I think my wife will have your things ready for you tomorrow so you wont have to suffer this mad farm house much longer," Brac smiled "I'll let you all go rest up, it's been a long day and I thank you for all your help," he nodded, ushering the men off whether they wanted to go or not.

"I'll leave you too it," The older man then nodded "Oh! And this is another 'just encase'" he smiled, taking a small sheath homing a little knife and setting it onto the pile.

"Thank you, good night uncle," She gave a small smile, both of them knowing she was planning on slipping off early.

* * *

><p>"Why would you let her go!" Enid was furious, she worried of course, but she worried for all the wrong reasons.<p>

"Enid, just let it go, I can't stop her she is a grown woman," Brac frowned, massaging his temples before he eagerly stood and took the clean pile of clothes belonging to the strangers, excusing himself to take them to the men.

The two knights and priest where clearing the room they had occupied, Felson helping out a little less until the soft knock came at the door to which he addressed, opening it wide as the young lady's uncle stepped in.

"Here are your things gents!" He smiled, handing the pile over to the elder knight before looking around the room "Ah, you didn't have to clear up! We would have been fine doing it! There isn't much to do round the farm today anyway!" He continued.

"We couldn't just leave it after the hospitality you have shown us," Debelzaq bowed his head in gratitude.

"Well, you did save my niece and bring her home to us," Brac smiled. "It's the least we can do,"

"Where'd she ride off too in the early hours?" Felson spoke up, once again earning a few varied looks, his old friend gave him a simple frown and shake of his head while the younger priest gawped slightly.

"Ah, Hafwen is just… trying to fix things," Brac looked down with a sad smile "Like she always does," he then added quietly before he took a deep refreshing breath and looked back up to the men. "Breakfast will be ready shortly, come down when your ready!" he then nodded before excusing himself from the room.

* * *

><p>Behmen sighed as he looked away from the expectant dog, having ordered the animal back to the farm countless times before it became too late for the animal to find it's way back, but he was persistent in following the trio.<p>

"I was almost worried you'd stay too long," Felson spoke out, having cast a raised brow look to his close friend and his new companion, before facing the road ahead and sitting much more comfortably upon his new horse. "Get involved," he continued, to which Behmen said nothing, just simply rolled his eyes.

"It didn't seem right," Debelzaq frowned, adjusting himself on the tall horse before facing forwards again.

"Nothing with that place was right," Felson shrugged. "The family obviously didn't want to talk about it for what ever reasons and the girl…" the elder knight left open with a shrug, "Even the dog didn't want to stay!" He spoke with an ironic laugh as he motioned to the canine.

"It was not our place to pry," Behmen spoke up.

"I would have liked to thank her for the horse," Debelzaq shook his head, looking down at the beautiful horse he rode.

"Lets just get to the city," the elder knight huffed, "We have enough of our own problems," he then kicked his new horse into a faster pace leaving Behmen and Debelzaq to share a short look before they too sped their horses' pace up, the woman's dog yapping out an excited bark and dashing after them.

* * *

><p>Hafwen sat atop her dappled grey mare, one hand clutching to the very end of the reins as well as the horn of the saddle to help solidify her position on the horse as she concentrated on keeping on balance, her other hand held onto the lengthy rope used to lead the lighter grey mare, having ridden very few times she teetered between rocking in motion with the animal's movements and slipping either side of the horse causing her to stiffen and jolt the opposite way to counteract the sharp movement which would cause the horse she rode to stop abruptly, almost knowingly, sensing the loss of balance and preventing a fall.<p>

Having managed to stay in a trot for a few paces, the dark haired woman concentrated intensely, going purely on what she had learnt threw observation alone, only to miss judge a stride and fall out of sync with the mare, her back end bumping off the saddle with a force that sent her more to one side and flick out her arm leading the second horse, the motion causing a wave in the rope which startled the light mare while the one she rode slowed so rapidly before stopping it caused Hafwen to lurch forwards in the saddle.

"Oh, Thank you Avon, but we have to keep pace," She huffed in frustration, but patted the horse's neck non the less, it wasn't the animal's fault she couldn't ride. "With a father that reared horses you'd think I'd know how to ride," she shook her head as she looked back to the second horse, "Bare with me Cloud," she whispered, having been flicking the lead rope into the poor horse's face so many times its a wonder the mare hadn't just torn away and stood in protest.

With a deep cleansing breath she looked to the road ahead and exhaled, shifting herself in the saddle and nudging Avon back into a walk as she uttered, "I'll get there by night fall at this point,"

Despite the on off riding style the elder sister had made it to Marburg before nightfall unlike she had once thought, but it was a fair few hours longer than the trek should have taken, if she hadn't left so early that morning then it would no doubt be well into the night when she would have arrived.

The city was still lively in the late evening and she was positive at mid day the place would be near impossible to move around, especially with two horses. She scouted the area from atop her tall mare with a sudden loss on what to do now, she hadn't thought in much detail when coming to the city, just get there, get her sister and go, it was only now she realised she should have done much more planning ahead of arrival as she mulled over what she needed to do.

She knew she couldn't muscle her way threw the streets with two horses just aimlessly wandering and it was slowly nearing night, the animals and herself need proper food and rest, she would have to find housing for them all.

"Excuse me!" She called softly to the nearest person she spotted only to be ignored, "Um, excuse me?" she called to another only for them to also walk strait by, "What am I? A ghost?" she scoffed at the rudeness before taking another look around, this time choosing carefully who she'd asked next, moving her horse into a slow walk further into the city, in hopes that if no one helped then she would come across a stables or inn herself.

She sighed softly as she moved slowly threw the streets, almost zoning out before an elder woman fell into her path with a scream, causing her horse to whip it's head up with a protesting whine as she stopped.

"Oh my goodness!" Hafwen chirped in surprise before leaning forwards in the saddle and shaking her feet out of the stirrups, swinging a stiff leg over the dapped grey horse's back and sliding less than gracefully from the saddle, landing unsteadily before throwing Cloud's lead rope over Avon's saddle and stumbling to the old woman.

"Are you alright?" She gasped, helping the woman to sit up and dusting some dirt from her shaking arms before looking around as no one else came to the woman's aid, it was in this glance she caught the look of a tall man, his face hidden with a tick growth of facial hair.

"Don't bother with her girl!" He spat, raising his head as he looked down at the old woman with a sneer, "She'll curse you the moment she sees fit,"

"Oh, don't be ridiculous!" Hafwen scoffed, turning back to the elder woman and helping her to her feet.

"You're obviously not from around here," He scowled, "Everyone here knows what she is!" He barked with a vicious point to the greying old woman, who did nothing but bow her head and bend slowly with effort to pick a straying potato from the ground before shuffling over to another.

"Di-did you push her?" she then questioned with disbelief and a disgusted frown.

"Witch," the man then hissed before striding off.

"What a…" Hafwen shook her head, unable to finish off what she wanted to say about the man and instead turned to help the old woman pick up her scattered vegetables.

"Here you go," She gave a small smile as she held them out to the woman, who took them slowly, her face sceptic towards the younger woman's help, but she accepted her items back regardless, gathering them in the tattered apron protecting the front of her skirt.

"Are you alright?" The younger woman questioned with worry, but the old woman did nothing more than nod, quite obvious in her wary suspicious of the younger, "Um, do you know where the nearest inn or stables are?" She called in desperate hope, as the woman started to shuffle off, but luckily she did turn, eyes narrowed in distrust as she took in Hafwen's hopeful and tired face, slowly coming to a judgement on the young woman and changing her hold on her apron so her vegetables didn't drop to the floor once more and point off down a street to Hafwen's right.

With a quick glance in the direction showed the elder sister then nodded her head towards the old woman with a tired smile, "Thank you," She then turned to gather both horses, who'd luckily not even strayed a step and lead them down the road directed.

She didn't have the strength nor energy to pull herself back up into the saddle, even walking with the tall mares was hard enough with her aching legs but she pressed on for a short time before coming up to the rowdy sounding inn, pausing at the open stable doors and peering in, seeing the back end of various coloured horses.

"Can I help ya lil miss?" A wrinkled man sniffled, his dark hair streaked with much grey and face unshaven in appearance with a short growth of facial hair, leaning on a pitch fork and hoisting his dirtied trousers higher with one hand.

"Yes, I was wondering if there was any room for two horses?" She asked hopefully with a small smile.

"Can always make room, should ye be payin'!" He nodded towards her.

"Of course!" She nodded, suddenly very thankful her uncle had given her the money.

"Well come 'ere then miss, lets see 'em housed then we'll get ye sorted," He waved her in.

With a sigh Hafwen ran the brush down Avon's speckled back one last time before returning the grooming item to it's box and gave both horses a quick smooth with her hand.

"Surprised ya chose this place over the others!" The stable man spoke up as she gathered her belongings.

"Well, I don't really know this city and this was the first place I came across," She spoke timidly and gave a small shrug.

"Ain't gonna be fussy ay?" He nodded in understanding, "Well I ain't gonna complain, we need the trade," He then held an arm out to her "Come, we'll make the wife find ye a room!"

"Thank you," Hafwen nodded as she hoisted her bag over her shoulder and hugged the rolls of blankets before she stepped towards the man, allowing herself to be stiffly lead into the bustling inn.

The room she was lead into was small with a low ceiling and near packed with rowdy drinkers cluttering every corner and taking up every bit of room they could, laughing loudly and drinking in excess.

"I thought you said you needed the trade?" Hafwen shouted over the noise, cringing at some of the sights and gawping at others.

"We do! It ain't always like this and these men are just 'ere to drink us blooming dry!" He called back.

"So long as they pay for what they drink I don't care if they do!" A strong, female voice sounded, catching Hafwen's attention as she turned to face a short but overly curvaceous woman closing the gap between them.

"Petal! I 'ave a young guest 'ere for ya!" The scruffy man grinned.

"I see that, get ya self back to them stables!" She shooed him off while Hafwen shrivelled away from a large drunken man that had bumped into her. "Oi! Shove off!" The plump woman bellowed, battering the man away with a damp cloth before steering the young woman out of the busy room so fast it nearly made her dizzy.

The short woman closed a thick, worn and chipped wooden door behind them both as they clustered in the narrow hall, the ruckus from the tavern on the other side being muffled slightly by the barrier.

"Well then!" The woman turned, dusting off her hands before setting them on her wide hips, "What's a pretty lil lass like ye doing 'ere all alone?" the woman questioned with a raised brow, "It ain't safe ya know, not with a face like yours!" She nodded towards her before shooing her to the side so she could pass and start leading the way up the uneven stairs. "This way young miss!"

"What do you mean?" Hafwen questioned as she followed after the bodacious woman, each of their foot steps making different creaks on each of the wooden stairs.

"The days of chivalry and gentlemen are gone me love," the woman shook her head in her talk but didn't look back, "Ye keep yer head down and give no man a reason to look yer way, I've seen young, naïve girls like ye come into this city from their little villages, the men set upon them like dogs!" the woman warned, coming to the top of the stair case and turning to pass her a knowing yet warning look..

"It is that dangerous?" Hafwen whispered, eye's wide and throat tightening.

"Take it from me, ye should have stayed in ye little village, I wish I had!" she shook her head, "Why is it yer 'ere? Its strange to see such a small town girl alone in such a big place," The lady shook her head, a few strands of her tightly curled hair falling from it's practical up do and around her work worn, clammy face.

"I needed too," Hafwen coughed lightly as she quickly mulled over her words, "Too pick something up," She nodded, "I shouldn't be staying long once I have everything sorted," She then lifted one shoulder in a slight shrug while the plump woman looked at her with a narrowed eye before taking what she said as truth.

"Well ain't my business either way!" She shrugged before continuing down the corridor and stopping outside one of the doors on the left, "Just a shame ye picked a sensitive time to come in to the city," she shook her head as she fumbled with a few keys on a large thick ring she had hidden in the folds of her skirts.

"A sensitive time?" Hafwen questioned with a raised brow, hoping to get as much knowledge as she could if it would help her chances of survival in the city that sounded so far horrifying.

"Hmm, it is coming to Witch season," the woman stated brazenly, obviously not having a care for what she spoke of unlike what some would have, "People get awfully suspicious and nasty," she shook her head as she slipped a key off the large ring, "They are like it to anyone and everyone," She rose her brows as she looked back to the younger woman, "and yer a mysterious stranger, so don't go gettin' noticed by anyone ye don't wanna be, and defiantly don't make ye self any enemies… or friends for that matter," She then turned to the door and started to unlock it, "Ye'd be blamed a Witch quicker than ye could jump away from a dog tryin' to piss on ye leg if yer spotted around the wrong people," she then stepped into the room and held the door open for Hafwen to then step in.

"It's really like that?" she questioned in a disgusted wonderment.

"It is, ye just keep yer head down regardless coz if yer ain't branded a witch for what ever god forsaken and ridiculous reason, there are men in this city that would do unspeakable things to ye," she then pressed the younger woman with a stern look as Hafwen's mouth dried and chest became horribly tight.

"I don't mean to scare ye lil miss," The woman then fixed a softer look on her face as she noticed the wide eyed and almost shaking youth suddenly resembled a petrified rabbit. "It's just, I rather you knew what was out their, I'm surprised you lasted the journey here with out so much as a problem, you must have an Angel watching over you," the plump lady then held the key out to the elder sister who had to uncurl her fingers from the vice like grip she had on the blanket rolls in order to except it.

"Thank you," She breathed, trying to process everything she had been told.

"Not a problem lil miss, ye lock the door now, answer it for no one and sleep light!" She warned before closing the wooden door behind herself as she left, leaving Hafwen to slowly rake in shaky breaths before she snapped into action, dropped her items and flung herself at the door in order to do as she was told, lock it!

* * *

><p><strong>i am ashamed...buuuuuut...<strong>

**we are getting some where...**

**well Hafwen isn't, she's rubbish at planning...but we are!**


	9. Found

**Ok... so i have got the ball rolling... i think...**

* * *

><p>9: Found<p>

Hafwen rarely had a bad night's sleep but as of recent she came to realise that had changed. Now she was kept awake by her own frantic thoughts and worries that furiously whirled around her mind and when her body did find rest her mind still didn't, haunted by faces and recent events in her short bouts of sleep.

Her body jolted as if she'd just been startled, but she lay curled tightly beneath the blankets she'd brought on her short travel, her eyes slowly opening as she sucked in a slow, deep breath before releasing it shakily. Her eyes moved slowly around the small room as she lay still, just listening to what she could hear beyond the walls of the room she occupied, her gazing coming to a stop on the wooden shutters where small streams of light filtered threw the splintered wood.

With a rustle of sheets Hafwen pushed herself half out of the bed, sitting on one hip and holding her self up on her left arm as she moved the blankets off herself and swung her legs off the bed and sat properly, her eyes never leaving the streams of light flowing into the dark room.

The floor boards creaked as she stood and slowly stepped towards the window, she was captivated by the brightness fighting it's way threw such a thick barrier and taking on the darkness hidden behind, effortlessly and beautifully, even the specks of dust that wandered into the steams of light seem to glint, something seen as dirty and it was dancing in the light becoming almost pretty.

Silently she lifted a hand, her pale skin seeming grey in the shadows of the room but instantly blossoming to a golden glow the moment the stream of light touched her and she took the simple sight in, turning her hand over and curling her fingers as if she could hold the bar of light before a growing ruckus from out side caught her attention.

Flipping the small latch away from the shutters she then pushed one open slowly till she could see the street out front.

People stood in groups some yelled, some cried the others pointed fingers and the rest just idly watched, as did Hafwen, stood with a shoulder to the closed half of the window, side stepping the flood of morning light that had made her eyes squint. She watched the obvious dispute unable to piece together what it was about as the various voices, raised and some just seemed to merge into one continuous, dull roar.

It wasn't until an old woman was brought forwards and shoved before the crowd, instantly causing them to spread into a wide circle, rather than their cluster of gangs and silence for a moment.

In this short time the elderly woman looked up from where she had been thrown down onto her hands and her knees, peering at the awaiting crowd before her aged eyes turned to the inn, scaling the mottled wall of wood and stone before resting on the window with one shutter open, showing nothing more than the shadow of the room Hafwen occupied.

"This woman has been accused of Witch craft!" a loud voice bellowed, commanding the attention of all as he strode into centre view, circling the quivering old woman with a sneer on his haggled face, his bald head an odd contrast to all the hair on his face.

Lifting a hand to her lips Hafwen could barely gasp as she once again lay eyes on the Witch hunter, stood in the streets below addressing his audience with wide open arms like he was a friendly man.

"And this man here," He turned his back on the inn and motioned to a tall man stood to his left, turning all eyes towards the dark haired, thickly bearded man, "Reports that this Witch, sent one of her kin to this very Inn!" the Witch hunter then jabbed a finger to the building behind him but Hafwen was still staring at the tall dark haired, thick bearded man, she was pretty sure she had seen him before.

"What utter lies, I'll 'ave none of this ya 'ere!" A feminine voice screeched, catching Hafwen's attention as she looked away from the man and stepped closer to the window in order to see the woman that had spoken only for her to march forwards in challenge regardless, her skirts fisted into her hands and hair a forever dishevelled mess from a never ending amount of hard work, it was the owner whose name she never received.

Hafwen frowned lightly as she watched the burly man lean toward the short, curvaceous woman, engaging her in a quiet discussion that grew from silent whispers to hissed words.

"Yer not goin' in and ye don't scare me! I've seen sturdier horse shit that ye!" the woman then yelled into the Witch hunter's face.

"Men!" the bald man then bellowed, alerting his thuggish group, "This woman is conspiring to hide a Witch!" He gripped the feisty woman who instantly put up a fight with less than lady like words, "Restrain her and search every corner of every room! Find who she is hiding!" He ordered and instantly Hafwen was scuttling around the small room in terror, scrambling for her few possessions, her travel bag and the blankets she had brought up with her as well as her cloak, piling them in her arms and dashing for the door. She was lucky enough to sleep fully clothed, boots and all, giving her no need to linger any longer as she furiously turned the key she had left in the lock and swung the door open.

She stumbled into the small hall way, tripping over the skirts of her own dress and the length of the blankets that where slipping from her grip, but she grappled with them and clawed them into a tighter bundle till, her bag buried in the middle of them and hugged them tight to her chest as she ran drown the hall, opposite to the way she had first come in and cleverly from all the noise and commotion in the bar, that was till she rounded a corner in the hall and found herself at a dead end.

The first floor of the traven was much smaller than the ground floor, which no doubt came from joining the stables to the original house, but the smaller area gave her no place to run or hide, leaving the young woman to fluster in pure panic as she spun to face the hall she had just bundled down as loud thumping came from the various sets of heavy footed men stomping up the stairs, soon they would make their way threw each room, down the first hall, turn the corner and find her, shaking wide eyed in the corner.

"Come on Hafwen," She hissed to herself in panic, her heart drumming in her chest as she looked around before the open door to the room on her left caught her attention, the window across the room almost calling her. With out any other option she took it, scampering across the room and peering out the open window, noticing with a happy sigh that not more than three feet beneath the window was the sloped roof a possible store room than ran the length of the original building, no doubt at the back of the bar.

With out much of a thought or option she hurled the bundle in her arms out the window, watching as it thumped on to the slate roof before rolling off into the small alley at the back and with not even a second thought she was hoisting herself out the window after her belongings, sitting her self on the window ledge and hopping down on to the slate roof, landing shakily in a crouch, but her weight brought a tile loose and with that simple loose tile all balance and right footing vanished as she scrambled to stay where she was shortly before slipping off the store house roof with a short, chirped shriek, landing feet, bottom then back in the muddy alley.

Blinking her eyes open wide in astonishment Hafwen peered at the sky from the tight enclosure of the alley before forcing herself to sit up with a groan and wince on her face but as her adrenaline dulled it seemed more sound of the destroying men came from the rooms above, forcing her to re-scramble to pick up all her stuff, choose a direction to head in and run.

With a deep ragged breath, Hafwen placed a hand to her chest to try and calm herself, having reached the end of the ally in some impressive time thanks to her leggy sprint, and now she took a pause to regain some breath before she drew stares for panting like a dog. Taking one last deep breath she swung her cloak on and bent to tidy her things, slinging her bag over a shoulder and head so it sat at her back with the strap across her chest before gathering her two blankets in a somewhat tidy folded pile and stepped out onto the main street.

Hafwen followed the crowd for a short while, a bit disorientated on what direction she was heading till she found herself strolling up a familiar street and coming to the front of the very tavern she'd just ran from like a mad woman.

Instantly she stopped much to the begrudging grunts and complaint of those that bumped into her and shoved her on a few extra steps and soon she had unwillingly joined the crowd out side the inn all watching the Witch hunter and his men, listening to his words and following his lead.

"I shall take this evil woman from your streets, you will all sleep easy tonight!" The broad man bellowed, opening his arms as he took in the appreciation of the crowd all while Hafwen scowled at him, wondering if the people of her village, the people she knew, had all cheered like this when he dragged her sister off with no doubt the same nonsense.

Her scowl was soon replaced with a flash of panic as he turned her way and instantly she bowed her head, waiting a short moment before peaking back up only to catch a glimpse of the man's gaze in a passing chance and with that her blood froze and she instantly crouched, yanking her hood up over her head and staying bend over, hiding behind the backs of random people in the crowed all while the Witch hunter's gaze was brought back in a double take, his expressing changing to something a little unreadable apart from seeming startled some what, not the Hafwen noticed, she was ducking her way under peoples arms like a little hunched old lady.

When she arrived at the back of the crowd she stood up strait and peeked back carefully, now a safe distance only for her jaw to drop as she spotted one of the hunter's lead out her two horses.

"Oh, you better put them right back!" she uttered to her self with a scowl only for the look to be replaced with that of utter shock as more of the men also came out with the rest of her stuff like they where theirs to take. All she had on her person now was her two blankets, and her bag holding next to nothing but the coin purse and small knife, the rest was in the stall with the horses, both clothes for her sister and her self, food and water, not to mention the horses' tack.

* * *

><p>With a light frown on his face and hidden beneath his hood, Behmen watched the proceedings of the Witch trials along side Felson and Debelzaq, the tests where different, someone had defiantly seen to change and a fair change at that, the innocent accused of Witch craft would be able to go on to live their lives, had old traditions stuck, the only way their name would be cleared of Witch craft was if they had died during the tests.<p>

"Not very good Witch hunters," Felson commented in boredom, looking instead to scan the crowd for perhaps something more interesting. "Just picking anyone the finger is pointed at," he huffed, looking around the intrigued faces before frowning as a face seemed to stick out of the crowd for just a second.

* * *

><p>Hafwen slipped passed people as she tried to get closer to the witch hunter's wagon, peering out from under her hood with cautious eyes, afraid that someone would recognise her and pick her out or realise what it was she was trying to do and stop her.<p>

One by one, the few women that had been uprooted from their homes, were dragged from the caged wagon and pushed before a group of robed men to be trialled, those who passed where released with no form of apology and no way of getting back to their homes apart from their own two feet while the few that did not pass, where dragged in chains, to be throw into cells, their fates to be decided when they next saw fit.

Hafwen had not seen her younger sister yet and held hope she was still in the carriage that she had slunk up to, the crowed to captivated by the trials before them to give her much care.

"Rhoslyn?," the dark haired woman called in a hushed tone, peering through the grid cage, "Rhoslyn!" she called a little harsher, the panic scratching in her voice as she looked threw the few faces left as they turned to take her in, "Have you seen her? A little shorter than me, pale, freckles and light brown hair?" she waved a hand in front of her face through out the quick description, staring up at the women of various ages as they simply stared down at her. "A simple yes or no would do!" Hafwen then hissed, her growing panic causing her to become easily irate as she frowned at the woman before looking away from them with a scoff, only turning back as a short shout caught her ears, causing her to turn back to the wagon and squint threw a slim gab between the cluster of woman only to spot her younger sister.

"Rhoslyn," The elder sister breathed, eye's wide and mouth becoming dry just about to take her first step into movement.

"Oi! Girl, get away from there!" a rough voice called, snapping Hafwen's attention towards the man who only squinted in slow recognition , "You're the sister!" he scoffed in astonishment, only to yelp as a thick wool blanket hit him in the face, covering him like a black out net as he gave a struggled yelp, fighting and grappling with the item till he ripped it from his head only to find, once he could see, the elder sister had gone.

The dark haired woman, pushed threw the line of spectators till she broke away from the crowed, stumbling a step or two as she looked around, her eye's spotting a few of the hunters as they instantly bristled, before her eyes landed on the burly leader and his found hers.

His speech faltered a moment as he saw the older sibling before a sneer returned to his face as he jabbed a finger towards the younger sister, kneeling before the robed men.

"This Witch," he re started.

"She is no Witch!" Hafwen screeched, her palms clammy and shaking fiercely no matter how hard she clenched her fists, one hand holding her remaining blanket while the other sat free at her side.

A slow murmur fell over the crowd as they started to whisper to their closest neighbour watching as the cloaked woman strode closer to the man and her sister, who could do nothing but stare in shock and cry in relief.

"You branded her such for no good reason!" she screamed at the man before her, bringing her free hand up to jab an accusing finger at him.

"I have reason!" his deep voice bellowed back, as he strode a few paces and caught the woman harshly by her upper arms and roughly shoved her a good couple of paces back, the force caused her to teeter off balance and fall, her back end then back hitting the rough cobbled ground as she stiffened and curled her spine and neck to prevent her head from also banging against the stone, even the bag she wore across her back could do nothing to soften the fall, having next to nothing in it.

She gasped a moment in shock, a little winded from the blow, before pushing herself back to sit up, her hood fallen from her head, blanket scattered at her side and the strap of her bag hanging off her shoulder.

"This Witch!" the burly Witch hunter pointed to Rhoslyn, "Has even bewitch her own sister, to ensure her release! She poisoned her own father with a curse!" He stretched his arms and spoke to the people gathered, while Hafwen scrambled to her feet, her bag falling awkwardly down her body, no longer held up by her shoulder and barely made a sound as it hit the ground.

"That's not true!" Hafwen's voice shot out, her dark hair a mess as she brushed it from her face.

"Oh boy," Felson uttered, arms crossed and simply watching as the cloaked woman's face was reviled properly as she stood back up, before turning to take in his two companions. Debelzaq openly gawped, wanting desperately to say something but finding he didn't have the words and Behmen, he was unreadable. "You just had to help the one woman that came with the most trouble," he scoffed, waiting for his friend to either turn his way or speak, just show some form of reaction. "Behmen," the older knight then spoke slowly in a warning tone, ignoring the growing whines of the tag along dog as it paced in front of them and itched to move, only to perk his ears at the sound of a scream and lurch threw the crowd with a flurry of aggressive barks.

Hafwen struggled against the man that had grabbed her, kicking at another that came to help restrain her, before a black dog lurched at the other man, clamping onto his ankle with a deep, rumbling growl, the front of it's body lowered to the ground and back end in the air, as it's body jolted with it's vicious tugging at the man's flesh, while he screamed in pain.

"Gaius!" Hafwen, gasped in shock, recognising the canine instantly but the thought of how he had found her never entering her mind as the burly leader of the Witch hunters drew his sword at the sight of the commotion.

"My lords!" He bellowed, "Look at what this Witch has caused!" he motioned to the struggling sister, kicking and screaming at the man holding her and the others trying to step closer to help, as well as the dog that had pulled the one man to the ground, stubbornly mauling at the man's leg, "This Witch is better off dead!" He hollered over all sound, instantly causing Hafwen's blood to run cold.

"No!" She screeched, locking eyes with her panicked sister, "RUN!" she screamed at her before turning nastily on the man still grabbing at her and swung for him, her fingers spread and half curled as she clawed her nails down his face with a furious scream, causing his grip to loosen as he reached for his face with a yell, leaving the older sister to take her chance and run for her sister "Gaius!" she called for her dog, who left the man to follow his owner, jumping and locking his jaws around the wrist of another man that made to grab the dark haired woman.

Rhoslyn fell out of the way of the man's first swing, scrambling to push her self to her feet with her wrists bound so tight, only for the burly man to kick her back to the ground, earning a pained yelp and raise his sword high.

There was little Hafwen could do as she reached her sister and threw her body over the younger's, hugging her protectively and pinching her eyes shut tight as she waited for what ever would come, sharpness, pain or just darkness.

The heavy clank of metal meeting rung loud in Hafwen's ears, causing both her sister's and her own body to jolt in fright, before the dark haired woman opened her eyes and slowly peered up to the man towering over her.

Her lips parted as she sucked in a small, stunned breath, her wide eyes never leaving him as he fixed the man across from him with the most vicious of glares, his sword out stretched and holding firm beneath the hunter's, having swiftly and effortlessly stopped the man's swing.

"What are you doing!" The Witch hunter growled with effort, still pushing down on his own sword, to show a form of dominance and try and make the knight's hold buckle.

Behmen said nothing as he threw the man's sword off his own, the force sending the burly man back a step as his weapon swung out to his side, only to turn back on the knight in challenge and find the tip of the long sword pointed at his throat.

"Back down," was all the Knight growled.

"Do you have any idea what she is!" the man hissed, pointing a finger down to the two sisters, who both looked up at him.

"That is not for you to decide!" Behmen growled, stretching his arm out a little more, pushing his sword closer to the man, causing him to step back again.

"Come on," Hafwen whispered to her sister, moving her arms from their protective hug around her, to gently grab her arms, both of them slowly getting to their feet and slinking behind the knight.

"Hafwen!" Rhoslyn, whispered with a shake in her voice as she gripped at her older sister, noticing another man stroll forwards, swinging his own sword impressively to warm up his wrist.

"I look forwards to hearing this explanation!" Felson spoke as he fixed the dark haired Hafwen with a stern look and strode past them to stand at his friend's side.

"You're with these witches?" The burly man accused as his ragged group came to his aid, one cradling his hand, one man scowling at Hafwen with all the hate he could muster and another man limping and needing support by the only man that wasn't injured.

"Gaius!" Hafwen called in a hushed tone, waving the dog closer to her instead of having him perched ready for battle, like he was.

"This'll be easy," Felson scoffed, ignoring the man's question as he looked at the four sorry excuse of men stood with their leader, who instantly bristled at his words.

"Men!" The hunter called, a smug grin finding it's way on his near hidden lips.

Both Behmen and Felson watched with out much reaction or care as a good group of eight extra men stepped forwards, all their faces smug as they waited for the fearful reaction, but all the knight's did was look to the other and share a sarcastic smirk and slight bob of their heads before facing the group again.

"Still easy," Felson then shrugged.

Hafwen swallowed thickly as she nudged her sister further from the armed men, only to be greeted by the third man she had met, Debelzaq, as he stepped forwards to usher the two away from what would be a violent fight.

* * *

><p><strong>This was going to be longer... because i couldn't stop trying... then it became too long...but that's ok coz i have the first part of the next chapter already down...so things are flowing nicely!<strong>

**:D**


	10. Barriers

**...Hmmm...i've had this one done for a while... but i'm not sure about it**

**...i don't no why... :(**

**i've re-read it so many times...re-doing and editing to keep it real...but still! it has annoyed me so much! **

**so i appologise before hand...but here it is...**

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><p>10: Barriers<p>

"There's too many of them!" Hafwen whispered in worry as she gripped at Debelzaq's arm as the witch hunters drew their weapons while the two Knights settled in their readied stances.

"They have fought much worse," he simply soothed, patting Hafwen's hand while his eye's drifted from the men and towards the robed figures, still watching, only turning as another man quickly approached, causing them to part for him.

"Stop!" He called firmly, instantly causing a hush to fall over everyone gathered in the court yard and all to look his way.

Hafwen and Rhoslyn peered up to see a youthful looking man with a head of thick dark curls, frowning at the proceedings out side the house of god.

"What is the…" he started off strong before his eye's fell on the knights and all power in his voice left him as his face dropped.

Hafwen's brows knotted as she looked from the man and over to the two knights and back again, noting that it looked as if the poor man had seen a ghost.

"Oh good lord," he uttered to himself as he touched his head and from there drew a cross over his chest as he closed his eyes, pausing a moment before re-opening them.

"Does he…know them?" Hafwen whispered to Debelzaq, her eyes still watching as the man descended the few steps and headed towards the knights.

"Yes, it's been a while," The priest settled for that as an answer, glad the woman was not looking his way to see the unconvincing cringe on his face.

"Great Priest!" The Witch hunter bowed, jolting the man's attention his way, "These men are harbouring a Witch!"

Hafwen pushed her sister behind herself and Debelzaq as she scowled at the hunter, her face only softening when Behmen sheathed his sword.

Behmen turned to the curly haired man, taking a few strong strides towards him and placing his right hand on the man's right shoulder.

"We need to talk," was all the knight said, fixing the man with a look that said more.

"Of course, I'll have you as guests, but…what? How?" he gawped at the knight as he took a step back.

"You think we have a clue?" Felson scoffed as he stepped up next to Behmen, "And you should probably sort this out first," he then motioned to the motley group of Witch hunters.

"She is a Witch!" the short, stocky leader pointed, turning the man's attention towards Hafwen, Debelzaq and the half hidden sister, but the curly haired man only seemed to gawp at the sight of the priest before one of the robed men scuttled forwards to speak in his ear.

"It is true, we believe the young girl is a Witch," he agreed.

"Finally! Someone talking sense!" The hunter huffed, before motioning two men to restrain Rhoslyn.

"Don't you dare!" Hafwen frowned as the men stepped forwards, she couldn't let them take her sister again.

The elder yelped as she was yanked from her sister, Gaius starting to growl before Felson stepped in and restrained the dog by his scruff. The sisters shared a panicked look as they were separated, only to fight to latch onto each other again, Rhoslyn raising her bound arms to hug around her sister's neck while, Hafwen crushed her arms around her younger sister's ribs, both desperately hugging each other till they were once again yanked apart.

"You can't do this! She's not a Witch!" the elder sister's throat tightened as she forced her words out to the robed men.

"Kay," Behmen fixed the curly haired man with a asking look.

"There is nothing I can do for the moment," he answered quietly, earning an understanding nod from the knight.

"Hafwen!" Her younger sister called tearfully, and instantly she went to her, only for Behmen to hold an arm out and catch her around the waist, pulling her back a step.

"Leave it," He spoke quietly to her, only for her furious eyes to lock with his own, the muscles in her jaw flaring as they tensed.

"She's my sister!" she almost growled, "I can't just 'leave it'!" she spat as she shoved his arm away from her, only for him to change hold on her and take a firm but careful grip on her upper arm, he wanted to stop her from going after the men after all, not hurt her.

"It's all we can do for now until you explain what has happened!" Behmen pressed wisely and when she only glared at him, her eyes slowly growing watery and bottom lip starting to quiver, he turned away, still keeping a hold on her as he spoke, "She is not to be harmed!" he raised his voice to the large gang.

"We'll do what we like!" The hunter called back.

"You will do as you're told," Kay answered back, his brows raised as he used his authority, the leader of the Witch hunters giving a begrudging bow of his head in acceptance of the terms, Rhoslyn was not to be harmed.

Hafwen sniffed lightly as she wiped a grubby hand across her cheek to catch the straying tear, "Just when I thought I was done with crying," She muttered to herself, as she pulled her arm out of the knights hold and shuffled to gather her discarded belongings.

"I have missed out on a lot, it seems," The young priest frowned as he watched the woman.

"Not at all, in fact it's all been rather uneventful," Felson shrugged, heaving a deep breath like an exaggerated sigh to better show his boredom.

"Uneventful?" The curly haired man almost scoffed before lowering his tone to a hissed whisper, "For three walking dead men I buried two years ago, grappling with a group of mercenaries over a suspected Witch," He rose his brows at the small group, before turning his look to Behmen solely, "And with a Lady friend," the curly haired man's raised brow look turned to more boyish and suggesting, "I do not believe 'uneventful' is the right word," he finished off, straitening his spine as he stood back up strait, having leaned closer to the men in order to whisper so quietly with them.

"Well, I believe the young woman is some how mixed up in all the 'Witch' business," Debelzaq opened his arms with a shrug, making a start at trying to shed some light on their current predicament.

"And we are mixed up with this woman because of him," Felson jabbed a thumb to the other knight, giving a roll of his eyes and ignoring the scowl he received.

"And we were always walking dead men," Behmen lifted one shoulder at his own words, Felson giving a nod in agreement.

"Speak for your selves!" Debelzaq leaned away from the two knights with a frown, before looking to Kay, "We need your help," he signed.

"I'll do what I can, the books and scrolls would be my only suggestion on where to start with figuring out 'this'," He motioned to the men before him and their less than dead state, "but for now I'll have rooms set for you," Kay nodded to the men, before looking over to the woman as she came back from searching behind the caged wagon, dusting off another blanket, "And for your young lady," his lips twitched up in a smile as he looked to Behmen, only to receive a single raised brow from the look, despite the mixed emotions, confusion, shock and drama the curly haired still found a small humour amongst such a mess.

* * *

><p>"Oh Gaius, what now?" Hafwen sighed as she knelt to greet the dog as he came to her, "You're covered in blood, I didn't think you had such violence in you!" she then cringed, her voice still wavering and throat tight from the need to cry, "You can barely see your white bit!," she ruffled the unstained part of white fur on his chest, the dog being mostly black apart from his legs and around his muzzle that bended into a dark tan, then of course the tiny fleck of white on his chest and on the very tips of his paws. With a sigh she then wrapped her arms around him and buried her face into his long, dark fur while he sat patiently, both ears flopped over and tail beating in a soft wag, the animal would have looked totally gormless had it not been for the red smeared over his snout.<p>

"Hafwen," Behmen spoke to get the woman's attention, waiting as she peered up at him with watery brown eyes, mud was mixed in with her messy hair and dashed all over her clothes, hands and face, not as much as when he had fist found her mind. "Come on," He held a hand out for her and nodded his head towards the others.

"Where?" she sniffled, her brows knotting in a light frown as she moved some of her hair from her face only to reveal a smudge of blood on her cheek she had gotten from the dog's fur.

"Inside, so you can get clean and rested and help your sister," he raised his brows as he watched her nod her head and look down to her lap, her hair falling around her face in messy tendrils.

"Thank you," she whispered tiredly, her throat still tight and with a huff, Behmen dropped his offered hand to his side and crouched down onto one knee next to her.

He gently placed a gloved hand to her cheek and turned her to look at him, using his thumb to wipe the small amount of blood off her cheek, before he froze, his eyes lifting to hers, big, brown and stunned with confusion and he knew why, he was being far to familiar with her, more so than he should be and more so than he liked and he didn't know why. The knight suddenly felt like her gaze bore into him and what was left of the dwindling crowed judged, even though neither of them actually did, but it still caused him to drop his hand away from her face and fix her with a stern look, deciding from now on, that would not happen again and barriers will be built.

"Have your legs stopped working girl?" He raised a brow as he stood, "Or do you need to be carried?" His tone was almost formal, the questions coming out like a well practiced politeness that would then only be acted on if requested, rather than asking because of a genuine care or worry, but although his words were not mean, they were not taken nicely.

"No," she frowned lightly, taken back at the sudden change, even in the short time she had been in his presence he had never addressed her as 'girl', he had giving her a title of 'Lady', one she was not worth of, before she insisted that using her name alone would be fine, but 'girl'! She did not like it one bit! "They work fine," She huffed, raising to her feet with a frown.

"Good, bring your things," he nodded and turned to lead the way while Hafwen's face twisted in a distasteful look before she bent and grappled her things into her arms with another huff.

"Come on Gaius," she breathed, her brows still knotted in a light frown as she trudged on behind the knight a good few paces, her feet now starting to scuff against the floor as she felt her energy suddenly drain, she hadn't been sleeping well, she'd spent the whole of yesterday on horse back and the whole of today trudging around Marburg following the gang of witch hunters waiting for them to stop and give her a chance at freeing her sister and the only good chance she had and took, had been in vain.

She had lost more again today, even when she thought she had nothing else to loose she turned out to be very wrong, her sister was cruelly taken for a second time.

Then of course both horses had been stolen from the stables of the inn and she was too scared to do anything about it, she was angry beyond belief but she remained in line with the rest of the crowd, she could have stood up and claimed them, but she didn't. She liked to think it was smart of her to keep quiet, after all it would have only gotten her in trouble, and in a shady part of town where no one would care to listen to her voice, stand on her side or step into help. It would have ended much worse than the event that just took place, and then where would she be in helping her sister? There was no doubt that keeping quiet and biding her time would have been completely logical, but it was the fear that kept her quiet, no cunning plan or brave thought and she knew that was the truth, she was useless and helpless, and with that last thought her blood froze in her body as she slowed to a stop.

She sucked in a shaky breath as she looked to the stone beneath her feet, having been following for a small amount of time with the three men she'd met before and the one she hadn't, too lost in thought to notice where she was going till she took this moment to pause, her brown eyes lifting to stare at the back of Behmen, striding tall and calmly up the dimly lit stone hall way talking quietly with Felson.

Had it not been for him, she would have been dead, twice now, she didn't know why he was here or how, but with out him that hunter would have struck both her sister and herself because she couldn't even protect herself let alone her younger sister.

With a silent tear, Hafwen raised her fingers to her mouth, pressing the grubby but cold tips against her lips to still their quivering as her eyes found the ground once more as the realisation of her actions assaulted her.

With a panicked whine Gaius paced away from Hafwen and towards the group of men still walking ahead before turning sharply and heading back towards the woman, circling around her and heading back towards the men again, trying to heard the straying members back together.

On the third attempt of the dog's herding he finally caught Behmen's attention, nearly tripping the knight over having dashed in front of his legs so fast and close it caused him to stumbled a step so he didn't trod on the dog before stopping and turning to frown at the animal, forcing him to then notice Hafwen's absence from the group.

He said nothing to the group as he started to make his way back down the dim hall to where the woman stood, approaching carefully, unsure of why she had stopped or what had set her off and caused her sudden stillness.

Reaching a hand out he hesitated, unsure on what he should do, he couldn't be too familiar with the woman, he needed barriers.

"We could have been killed," She whispered, choking out a sob before pressing her hand closer to her mouth and she pinched her eyes closed and bowed her head more to hide her face.

Behmen simply frowned, lowering his arm to his side and tilting his head to try and get a better look at her face.

"I don't even know why you are here," she cried, moving her hand from her mouth so she could speak, her words confusing him slightly but he listened, "but if you hadn't been he would have killed us," her voice strained around the words as her throat tightened so much it was nearly suffocating her, "I was completely helpless," she wheezed, trying to wipe her tears, as the Knight now understood, "Useless," the word fell from her lips weakly as the simple act of speech now seemed impossible in her current state and as Behmen witnessed the woman before him crumble, he closed his eyes with a sigh, building barriers seeming so much harder now, because it was now she needed comfort and support, and could he be so heartless in this moment and deny her that?

"I would have gotten us killed," she sobbed, her hand stretching to cover her face before she dropped the few things she carried and brought her other hand to her face, her body slumping as it went to crumple down to the floor like her things, but unlike them she was caught.

Behmen breathed a sad sigh into her hair as he supported her body and carefully brought them both to the floor, holding her tightly as he sat and leaded his back against the stone wall of the hall, the young woman curled up between his legs and crying into his chest.

The knight said nothing as he held her, he didn't know what to say for the moment or do for that matter, he was stuck rather awkwardly with his arms wrapped tightly around her torso, feeling her uneven gasps of air jolt at her body and his, her face still hidden behind her hands in a last attempt she had at hiding her weakness, even after her sobbing had slowly died down.

"Hafwen," he whispered after she fell silent, looking down at her and lifting a hand from his tight embrace of her to move her hair from her face before then gently moving her hands from her face, "Hafwen," he tried again, speaking softly and waiting patiently till she looked up at him, red faced and teary eyed.

"I could have killed us," she whispered, a few tears falling from her eyes.

"You can't live thinking about what could have been," his brows knotted lightly as he gently shook his head.

"But.." she sniffled only to be hushed by the knight as he placed his gloved hand to the side of her head and held her to his chest.

"Don't," he ordered softly with a light frown creasing his brow, feeling as one of her hands gripped at his tunic and the other at his arm that cradled her head. "That is not what happened and that is what you must focus on," He advised, ignoring the small group as they stepped closer despite them all understanding the way the woman felt and feeling her pain as easy as they could see it.

"You are both safe," he whispered into her hair, "And I will do all in my power to see you reunited," He promised, looking up to his long time friend who shared a knowing and understanding look, having expected this from the younger knight at some point.

"Let's get you settled my dear," Debelzaq spoke as he gathered her few things, "Is this all you have?" he then frowned, before looking to the younger priest with a worried frown.

"We'll find a change of clothes," He nodded, looking down to the woman as she rubbed tiredly at her eyes and slowly sat up from Behmen's embrace.

"I had clothes, they were with my horses," She whispered, her voice still strained no matter how quiet she spoke.

"I'll send someone to retrieve them," Kay nodded, feeling pity for the woman he didn't know.

"You can't," Hafwen coughed lightly as she cleared her throat and wiped her eyes, "They took everything," she brought her arms into herself to cross protectively under her bust.

All the men frowned, confused for a moment before the knights passed each other a look and instantly understood her words. Felson bristled, despite not wishing to get involved with the woman and her troubles due to having their own to sort, he was now finding himself more willing to help with each passing moment, the Witch hunter's having gotten to his very last nerve.

The way they treated the woman before him, the way they left her, the damage they had caused in her life, he could now only too easily fit together the events that had unfolded in the woman's life because of the men. Finding her they way they had, and thinking of someone causing it turned at him, but now that more light had been shed even with out explanation, he was livid.

"We'll just see about that," The elder Knight growled tightening his jaw as he looked both ways down the corridor starting to plot the best course of action.

Hafwen peered up at Felson in confusion before gasping lightly as Behmen moved behind her, bringing them both to their feet and supporting her till he was happy she was sturdy on her own.

"Take Hafwen to her room," Behmen spoke as he shared another look with his friend, the look saying more between the two than words could.

Debelzaq nodded and hovered a hand over her back and started to guide her back down the hall way with out a word.

"Keep it clean?" Kay asked hopefully, his facial expression almost timid due to the request he made.

"Can't promise that," Felson shook his head as he cracked his knuckles.

"It'll be in her sister's best interest," the curly haired youth then pressed with a pleading look to Behmen, receiving nothing more than a nod to show he had heard his words.

"So much for building them barriers you where just talking about ," Felson rolled his eyes as he strode on with his friend at his side.

"She needed someone in that moment," Behmen simply defended, his eyes trained forwards, "She has no one else,"

"If I didn't know you any better, I'd say you were starting to care," the greying knight rose a single brow, looking to his friend in the corner of his eye.

"Then it is a good thing you do know me better," the younger of the knights tilted his head to throw a less than impressed look to the other.

With a sigh Kay shook his head as he watched the knights head off, praying what ever trouble they stirred up now that he would be able to cover it up and manage it.

* * *

><p>The Elder sister looked around the cold room she stood in, giving a small sniffle before looking to the priest stood out side of the room, his back to her and peering both ways down the hall.<p>

"I don't think I got your name, Sir" She called, causing him to turn and look at her from where he stood out in the hall. "We were never introduced," she gave a slight shrug before admitting sheepishly, "My fault, I'm sorry, I should have made more of an effort when you all brought me back to the farm house," she then raised a hand to knead at her forehead, wondering if there was anything she thought over properly, of course she heard his name but it was different to exchanging names and starting a familiarity by that simple introduction.

"Of course," He nodded as he turned and stepped into the room, holding a hand out warmly, "And introductions were the least of your worries my dear," he past her a friendly smile as he took her hand for a gentle shake, "but by any means, I'm Debelzaq,"

"Debelzaq," Hafwen spoke softly as she gently shook his hand back, "I'm Hafwen," she tried a small smile.

"Lovely to meet you," The priest bowed his head, playing at the greeting as if he'd never met the elder sister before and this was their first encounter, causing a light chuckle of amusement to fall from the dark haired woman.

"Lovely to meet you too," She played back in the same manner before they both released from their hand shake and the elder sister's face fell a little into a thoughtful expression. "May I ask you something, Debelzaq?" she started, her eyes finding the floor.

"What is it my dear?" he tried another smile but it had a slight worry to it, as he was unsure what it was she was going to ask and worried she some how knew their secret.

"Where did Behmen and Felson go?" She tilted her head as she brought her gaze back to him, waiting for the reply patiently. The two knights had left some time ago and since then Debelzaq paced and kept look out while the curly haired man, she didn't know, had vanished to gather some maids to fill a bath for her. "Sorry," she mumbled as she moved out the way for the short, busty maid as she came into the room once more to finish tending to the bath.

"They just," The priest paused, "Went to tend to…a matter?" he offered, the unsure question evident in his voice.

"That matter has been resolved!" Felson's voice called out, catching both their attention as they turned to the door way as both knights strode in.

"What matter?" Hafwen questioned, looking from Felson and to Behmen, only to wrap her arms around her self and look away, a sudden bout of embarrassment falling over her.

"A few men found some horses they thought had no owner," Felson started as he and Behmen set down a few bags, "As well as some lost items," He motioned to the bags, the false casual tone he spoke in bringing a small smile to Hafwen's lips, "We put them right," He then waved the matter away, while Hafwen nodded, deciding not to question the matter as she could only guess that the less friendly version of the 'matter' was not something she would like to hear in detail.

"Thank you," She spoke quietly with a thankful smile.

"Now, about that explanation I've been looking forward to hearing," The elder knight spoke as he pulled a wooden chair away from a small table with a defining screech and turned it to face her, "We've all guessed at what has happened, but let's hear it anyway," he opened his arms with a shrug as he sat himself in the chair and looked at her expectantly.

Hafwen stood rigid as she looked at Felson with a doe like expression, unfolding her arms only to nervously twist her fingers together as she looked from him and to Debelzaq, who simply clasped his hands together willing to listen and happy he wasn't the one pressing the matter. Lastly she looked to Behmen, who simply folded his arms and leaned against the wall next to the door, giving a simple nod for her to start when she was ready.

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><p><strong>...so much for holding in the inner turmoil and saving people from the awkward 'the hell do i do?!' moment...<strong>

**...hmm... and i did say Hafwen was rubbish at planning...can't say she had much of a plan other than, find her sister...bad times**

**not everything runs quite so smoothly...:/**

**...still... i dunno what it is about this one i don't like...there is just summet!... i hope it's just me being paranoid...but on the plus side...they are getting longer...**


End file.
